Norma Foley
Kerry · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“Therefore, the means by which the motion proposes to address the challenges raised may not specifically align with the approach being taken, but I absolutely accept that the underlying goals are the same and I accept the Deputies' sincerity in seeking to achieve them.”
“I intend to bring forward specific proposals arising from this work towards the end of the year, depending on progress and the outcome of ongoing engagement with stakeholders.”
“Working with that office, the Department of Children, Disability and Equality is absolutely committed to seeking to expand and reform specialist disability services in order to maximise individuals’ independence and support them to live lives of their choosing in places of their choosing.”
“A number of new measures are in train to move towards planned provision of residential supports, including the provision of planned residential placements under a new initiative, as outlined in the HSE’s 2026 national service plan.”
“I absolutely accept they are fighting tirelessly to highlight the need for us to ensure their loved ones are cared for and provided with appropriate housing, as and when it is needed. For far too many families, placements are made at the last minute, causing distress to individuals and their families.”
“In line with commitments contained in the programme for Government and the national human rights strategy, the Department of Children, Disability and Equality is now developing a new vision and reform strategy for disability services.”
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“I will briefly outline the ambition behind each of these areas. The first area, pillar 1, is inclusive learning and education. We have made progress in recent years in terms of education for people with additional needs. We have doubled the number of special classes to 3,500 and created 16 new special schools. We have over 22,000 special needs assistants and over 20,000 special education teachers. In total, that is more than 40,000 professionals dedicated to the area of working with young people with additional needs, but we need to do more. We absolutely need to do more. We know from OECD data that education gaps are at the root of persistent disability employment gaps. This pillar directly confronts that reality through starting early and staying the course.”
“As one disabled person brilliantly put it, “A person’s life is not divided into Government Departments." It is, therefore, fitting that the name given to this first ever national human rights strategy for disabled people was the name requested and promoted by people with disabilities themselves. They wanted a clear human rights focus in this strategy, beginning with the title. I know Shakespeare often mused, “What’s in a name?”, but I fundamentally believe, and agree with people with disabilities, that names, language and, in this instance, titles are important because they set the agenda and they carve out the vision we wish to achieve. The strategy is structured around five core areas: inclusive learning and education; employment; independent living and active participation in society; well-being and health; and transport and mobility.”
“I know full well there are always means to communicate if we are truly prepared to listen and to hear. In reality, this strategy has come from the people who matter most: those who live every single day with disability. After all of the consultation, what was identified? The top three issues were access to health and social care, having enough money to cover the extra costs related to disability, and being able to avail of and use public or private transportation easily. There is an unwavering focus in this strategy on clear and concrete actions which people with disabilities want prioritised, rather than just looking at it from an official and often siloed perspective. The objective is to look at issues from a whole-of-life perspective.”
“He said: "Listen to us instead of telling us what we need." For my part, this is at the very heart of what I want this strategy to be about, which is the aspirations, the ambitions and the lived experience of people with disabilities. Every effort has been made to ensure people with disabilities steered, shaped and structured this strategy. There were focus groups, surveys, interviews and town hall meetings, online and in-person, throughout the country. Expert interviewers were also used to access the voices of people who are seldom heard from, such as children with disabilities and people with intellectual disabilities. In some instances, people were able to communicate not just with mouth words but with facial expressions, body movements, sound and assistive technology.”
“I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for the opportunity to mark a major milestone - the recent launch of Ireland's National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030. It was fitting that we launched it in the Round Room in the Mansion House, the venue of the First Dáil, and it is here in the Chamber of the Thirty-fourth Dáil that, with the support of colleagues, some of the key aims and ambitions in the strategy will be actioned in the coming years. I was really taken by the phrase used by David, one the participants in the awareness campaign for the national human rights strategy for disabled people.”
“Disabled people have many gifts to bring. Wisdom. Joy. Successes. We are proud of who we are. And [of] all [that] we achieve. That is a powerful message and one that is well worth amplifying. Pride is both a celebration and a protest. It is also a promise that Ireland will continue to be a place where equality grows and where no one is left behind. I reiterate that the Government remains committed to working with and for the LGBTQI+ community as we continue on our journey of equality.”
“In celebrating Pride, we recognise that equality is measured not only in laws and policies, but in the existence of spaces for joy, expression and inclusion. As Minister for disability, I highlight that July is also Disability Pride Month. I was impressed by the article written by Dr. Margaret Kennedy, a disability activist, in the Irish Independent this week. She highlighted the need for disabled people to be accepted by society for who they are. She wrote: We have a month of Disability Pride, because we who are disabled and you who are not, need one. It is OK to be deaf. It is OK to be in a wheelchair. It is OK to have cerebral palsy, or a speech ... [impediment], or autism. There is nothing bad or wrong about you having these conditions. What has happened is that the world has still not accepted who we are. That is their loss.”
“However, despite all the progress that has been made in making Ireland a more tolerant and welcoming place to live for the LGBTQI+ community, it is troubling to see that homophobic attacks are still taking place. Statistics published by An Garda Síochána show that there were 70 hate crimes and hate-related incidents recorded last year where the motive was hatred of a person’s sexual orientation. That is a reduction on the 109 hate crimes and hate-related incidents in 2023 where the motive was hatred of a person’s sexual orientation, but one such incident is one incident too many. We need to send a clear message to those who wish to inflict suffering on our LGBTQI+ citizens that this will not be tolerated.”
“It is a country with a proud record as a champion of human rights. The European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs recent report on the European Commission’s LGBTIQ equality strategy highlighted the current challenges to LGBTIQ+ safety across Europe. In particular, the report noted that the rise of far right political forces has motivated an increase of the harassment and persecution of LGBTIQ+ persons in Europe. Each year, the Rainbow Europe annual review ranks all 49 European countries on the basis of their legal and policy situation regarding LGBTQI+ rights. In this year’s Rainbow Europe report, Ireland placed 14th out of 49 countries in the general ranking. This represents an improvement from previous years, when Ireland placed 16th.”
“It is held monthly for young neurodiverse LGBTQI+ people aged 18 to 24 years old to connect safely with peers and be supported by trained youth workers. I recently launched the funding call for the 2025 version of the community services fund with €1.4 million of funding being made available. The increased levels of harassment and persecution of LGBTIQ+ people globally make many of our LGBTIQ+ citizens feel unsafe. We cannot stand by and let such sentiments take hold in Ireland. Kindness, understanding, solidarity and hope are the values and beliefs that must remain central to our work as we continue on the journey of equality. As the old Irish saying goes "Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine" - "We live in the shadow of one another". Ireland has increasingly become seen as an emblem of equality, democracy and inclusion.”
“We must continue to nurture and support them. The Department of Children, Disability and Equality has a LGBTI+ community services fund which has provided €5.46 million in funding to 138 projects since 2020. I acknowledge that the former Minister, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman, is in the Chamber. I acknowledge also his work in this regard and, indeed, in terms of the strategy. The fund supports the establishment and enhancement of safe spaces in their many forms across the country. The importance of these safe spaces for LGBTIQ+ people cannot be underestimated in creating connections, solidarity and a sense of belonging. For example, Youth Work Ireland with the support of the LGBTI+ community fund launched a new online youth cafe in January this year.”
“Our updated curriculum and anti-bullying measures in schools are working to create classrooms where students feel more included, more understood and more valued. The Irish word for kindness is "cineáltas". The Cineáltas: Action Plan on Bullying in schools is a key tool in tackling behaviour or language that intends to harm a student because of their membership of the LGBTIQ+ community. Community-led organisations across the country have been supported with crucial funding to promote inclusion, protect rights and improve quality of life and well-being for LGBTIQ+ people. Many of these organisations open their doors and their phone lines to listen, to welcome and to offer support to members of the community. Particularly in more rural areas, these spaces and organisations play such an important and central role.”
“There are commitments in this cross-departmental strategy to invest in mental health services to improve access and provide tailored and specific supports for LGBTIQ+ people. This is essential because research has shown LGBTIQ+ people can face significant health issues, including high levels of depression, anxiety and stress. Another important commitment in the strategy is continuing to address and prevent LGBTIQ+ bullying in schools. I know from my time as Minister for Education that providing an inclusive education for our young people through fostering respect and understanding, promoting respect for diversity, reducing bullying and ensuring students feel a sense of belonging is of utmost importance.”
“The strategy will aim to promote and respect the right of LGBTIQ+ people to live their lives safely and free of harassment and violence through several prevention and protection measures in these key priority areas. This will include: addressing misinformation relating to LGBTIQ+ people; developing effective approaches within the criminal justice system towards addressing the safety issues experienced by the LGBTIQ+ community; enhancing awareness of the occurrence of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence within the LGBTIQ+ community because there is evidence to suggest that LGBTIQ+ people are afraid of reporting for fear of not being believed; and improving safety for LGBTIQ+ people in public spaces.”
“The new national LGBTIQ+ inclusion strategy 2024-2028 is a manifestation of the Government’s commitment to meet the challenges the LGBTIQ+ community continue to face. I am pleased to inform the House that I launched the strategy and its accompanying first two-year action plan last month. It was developed following an extensive consultation with the LGBTIQ+ community. One of the key messages that emerged is that it should be focused on making the biggest impact on the key priority areas that mattered most to the LGBTIQ+ community. That means there is a reduced number of actions compared to the previous strategy, but with the aim of achieving meaningful progress. There are four pillars on which this strategy is built, including safety, health and well-being, participation and inclusion and equality and non-discrimination.”
“There is so much to celebrate in terms of the path to equality for the LGBTIQ+ community since that remarkable day. However, we must be mindful that equality is not a single destination. It is a continuous journey and one that we must remain committed to with the same spirit that defined that extraordinary day ten years ago. Pride is a moment to look forward, not just back, including: to reflect on the work still to be done; to combat discrimination; and to show the LGBTIQ+ community we stand in solidarity with them. Progress can be achieved when we collaborate and renew our efforts to advance equality for all. As Malala Yousafzai said, "We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back".”
“It is ten years since the people of Ireland voted in their millions to say "Yes" to equality and to dignity. It was undoubtedly one of the most significant moments in the history of this State. On that historic day ten years ago, Ireland became the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage by popular vote. With 62% in favour, the people of Ireland made a clear, proud, and compassionate choice to enshrine in our Constitution the equal right of same-sex couples to marry. It was a moment that changed our laws, but more than that, it changed lives. The annual marriage statistics from the Central Statistics Office, CSO, show that hundreds of LGBTIQ+ couples are proudly getting married each year, including 688 last year. The success of the marriage equality referendum changed Ireland in so many profound ways.”
“It is my honour to address the House today on Pride. It is a particular honour to be here this year as we mark what is a significant year in terms of LGBTIQ+ equality. As many in the House will be aware, the Dublin Pride Festival took place on 28 June. The streets of the capital were awash with vibrant colours, enjoyment and, most importantly, pride. As the summer moves on, there will be many more events taking place across the country to mark Pride. It is significant to see the expansion of Pride festivals across Ireland, especially in rural areas. I welcome their continued growth year on year. However, Pride month is more than just a festival or parade; it is a powerful statement about love, acceptance and resilience. This year marks a milestone anniversary for the LGBTIQ+ community and for wider society.”
“Therefore, I look forward to working with everyone, including the Members of this House, to achieve tangible change for people with disabilities.”
“However, putting personalised budgets on a statutory footing also requires putting appropriate safeguards in place for the benefit of the service user. I am acutely aware of the importance of personalised budgets for those who wish to avail of them. Personalised budgets enable people to tailor their services to support them in a way that they deem most suitable for their needs, and I am committed to continuing to support the roll-out of personalised budgets nationally. However, in light of the considerations that I have set out today, the Government has agreed to a timed amendment of 18 months for this Private Members’ Bill. I thank Senator Clonan and all the other Senators for their work on the Bill. Collaboration and co-operation will be the hallmark of how this Government approaches the disability sector.”
“The Bill provides for the utilisation of a personalised budget for clinical services, mental health services and education services, including services for children. This is a significant expansion of the scope of the personalised budgets demonstrator pilot. Further work would need to be done with the HSE and relevant Departments to assess the feasibility and suitability of a personalised budgets model that encompassed these additional services. It is important that we remember that personalised budgets shift responsibility for the organisation of care and support from the service provider to the users themselves. This can be positive and in line with person-centred provision, with will and preference addressed.”
“The impact of the Bill on the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 must also be considered in that the provisions of the Bill could create legal uncertainty and create powers not necessarily contemplated or intended to be created by the court when appointing a decision-making representative or contemplated by the relevant person when appointing a decision supporter. Additionally, there may be tax implications associated with personalised budgets on the service user that must be examined and ameliorated under the law before further consideration can be given to putting personalised budgets on a statutory footing. The broadness of the scope of the Bill is another matter that requires due consideration.”
“It is also important to note that while over 300 people engaged in some form with the pilot, only 50 remained at the point of actually utilising a personalised budget. The evaluation will be critical in helping us understand why this was the case. The work of my Department’s new unit on international models of personalised budgets is also crucial and may point to the requirement for more flexible policy solutions rather than legislative responses. The Bill also has significant implications for current and future areas of legislation that require further consideration. The programme for Government 2025 commits to reforming the Disability Act in conjunction with stakeholders. Therefore, any amendment to the Act would, if appropriate, need to be done in the context of this crucial work aimed at reforming the Act.”
“That said, it is prudent to point to the fact that there are a range of issues to be considered before giving any legal right to a form of service acquisition and funding that is being implemented on a pilot basis on a cost-neutral basis and for which there is not yet an evaluation completed. A significant amount of work is needed to consider all the potential service and other legislative changes that would be required to broaden the availability of personalised budgets. Learnings from the evaluation of the personalised budget demonstrator pilot will be crucial. They will enable evidence-based decision-making and inform next steps towards the development of an effective operational model for personalised budgets in Ireland.”
“The work of the unit will seek to provide a blueprint in the Irish context for disability services that enable disabled people to exercise choice, autonomy and control over their lives and support independent living to the greatest possible extent while also seeking to ensure that services are efficient, effective and financially sustainable into the future. It will include examination of models where personalised budgets are used in the international context and will examine their feasibility or applicability in the Irish context incorporating the learnings from the Irish pilot. In the context of this ongoing programme of work, the policy intent of the Disability (Personalised Budgets Bill) 2024 to further develop personalised budgets is acknowledged and welcomed.”
“This should provide insight into the barriers and facilitators to rolling out personalised budgets on a larger scale. Most pertinently, this method of gathering data puts disabled people at the heart of the evaluation and ensures that their experiences inform the next steps in the development of an effective model for personalised budgets in Ireland. It is important to note in this regard that a new unit that is being established within my Department will develop a comprehensive new vision and strategy for the delivery of specialist disability services in Ireland out to 2030 in alignment with the forthcoming national human rights strategy for disabled people.”
“This includes individuals who have withdrawn, are inactive, have insufficient funding for a meaningful personalised budget or are on hold pending recruitment of liaison officers. Of that 302, there are 130 active participants, with 50 people currently in the final stage of the pilot, the Living Life phase, and therefore utilising a personalised budget. The evaluation phase of the pilot has recently commenced and is expected to be completed by year end. Led by the National Disability Authority, the evaluation will gather data on participants’ experiences of the pilot through interviews with personalised budget holders, persons who withdrew from the pilot and those individuals at an advanced stage of the pilot process who have not yet been allocated a personalised budget.”
“As part of the pilot, eligible adults were able to utilise a personalised budget to acquire or purchase specialist disability services funded by the Health Service Executive such as home support, personal assistance and respite. I acknowledge the involvement of Senator Rabbitte and her leadership in this respect. Two methods of budget management were tested as part of the pilot: a person-managed method, often referred to as direct payments, whereby funds were paid directly to the individual to pay for their services; and the co-managed method whereby funds remained with the Health Service Executive with individuals directing it on how that money should be utilised to avail of services. To date, 302 individuals have engaged with the pilot at various stages.”
“A key strength of the personalised budget model is the enhanced autonomy and flexibility it offers. Individuals can select services that are most relevant and meaningful to them defining the quality, scope and delivery of their supports. The personalised budget demonstrator pilot was established in 2019 with the aim of assessing the impact and understanding what is required for the sustainability of the personalised budget approach within the Irish context. Due to the impact of Covid, the pilot was delayed and two extensions were granted. In 2023, responsibility for specialist disability services transferred from the Department of Health to my Department and, with it, responsibility for the personalised budget demonstrator pilot.”
“I am very pleased to be here to discuss personalised budgets as raised by this Private Member’s Bill. I acknowledge the very heartfelt, sincere and passionate contributions from all Senators and I know there is more to follow. I reiterate my commitment and that of this Government as set out in the programme for Government 2025 to support the roll-out of personalised budgets nationally. Personalised budgets constitute a significant measure regarding how disabled people can access and manage their support services. Rooted in the principles of self-determination, autonomy and person-centred planning, the personalised budgets approach enables disabled people to exercise greater control over their funding by tailoring services to meet their specific needs and life goals.”
“I expect to be in a position to notify the House shortly when a safeguarding expert has been appointed to carry out this body of work.”
“As Members know, I expressed my intention to undertake an expert-driven, non-statutory safeguarding exercise, which will identify learnings from the commission's findings to inform present-day safeguarding policies and practices. Significant work has been undertaken by officials in my Department seeking to identify an appropriate expert in the field of safeguarding to carry out this exercise. The procurement process for the selection of this specialist safeguarding expertise is under way and will be completed within a number of weeks. The seven people referenced in the commission's statement on part X, and-or their representatives, will be invited to participate in this exercise to share their lived experience, if they wish to do so. This exercise will be fully independent of the Government.”
“A high-level report outlining the strategic working group's work to date in providing an independent and objective assessment of the safeguarding structures and processes in place in disability services was requested from the independent chair, Colm Lehane, in 2024. I expect to receive a report on this matter in the coming weeks. Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. The onus on us as a Government is to ensure that we work collaboratively across all Departments, the HSE, Tusla, all State agencies and the wider community to support and embed a culture that recognises every person's right to respect, dignity, honesty and compassion in every aspect of his or her life.”
“The Law Reform Commission's report, A Regulatory Framework for Adult Safeguarding, across all sectors, was published in 2024 and was accompanied by draft legislation in the form of a civil adult safeguarding Bill and a criminal justice adult safeguarding Bill. The report sets out a range of recommendations for future Government consideration in regard to adult safeguarding. The national independent review panel executive summary on the Brandon report outlined a number of recommendations relating to service provision, including the establishment of the strategic working group tasked with the development of a new vision for disability services in the area.”
“I am supportive of the development of this legislation. It is in the remit of the Department of Health and that Department is developing a new policy on adult safeguarding in health and social care settings to cover the full spectrum of healthcare and social care services - public, voluntary and private. This new policy on adult safeguarding is being developed and, I understand from the Department of Health, will be brought before the Government in the coming months. The preparation of related underpinning legislation will commence immediately thereafter. The commencement of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 on 26 April 2023 enhanced protections and safeguards around decision-making for vulnerable adults lacking capacity.”
“A national safeguarding office was established in 2015. Safeguarding protection teams across all CHOs were introduced to provide a community safeguarding response, as well as quality assurance, oversight and advisory support to the HSE and funded service providers on safeguarding matters. The HSE published an independent review of its policies and procedures, the McIlroy report, in 2024. This has led to the introduction of a chief social worker in the HSE to drive the implementations of the recommendations in the report. Strong progress has been made on mandatory reporting of all suspected abuse of children, be it physical, sexual, emotional or neglect. I recognise many Members of this House and organisations representing people with disabilities have raised the requirement for robust adult safeguarding legislation.”
“For vulnerable children in the care of the State, safeguarding has become a priority, from both a legislative and a policy perspective. Significant steps have been taken, from the development of foster care standards to the creation of the Ombudsman for Children's Office and HIQA, the establishment of Tusla and the commencement of the Children First Act. These steps represent a significant shift in the way we treat children who require the care of the State, have a right to be protected by the State and rely on us to do so. A number of advances have been developed in adult safeguarding, including the establishment of HIQA, which inspects residential services and centre-based respite services. The development of a HSE adult safeguarding policy in 2014, which covers all services and settings, was an important development.”
“The Department of Health was responsible from the commission's establishment in 2017 up to 1 March 2023. At that point, the functions vested in the Minister for Health with respect to the commission transferred to the then Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Officials are reviewing the costs involved and it is the intention to publish the report on costs shortly. It is never possible to say with 100% certainty that a safeguarding issue cannot occur in any setting in the future. However, there has been a marked change in the way we as a country operate in respect of child safeguarding, both in the way vulnerable children are looked after when in the care of the State and in the manner in which vulnerable adults with disabilities are cared for and the range of services available to them.”
“The commission was facilitated with a final short technical extension to 23 May 2025 to ensure outstanding matters regarding legal costs and archiving were completed and for submission of the final report of the commission on costs. I received the costs report on 22 May. This is the final report of the commission of investigation and, pursuant to section 43 of the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004, the commission is now dissolved. The report was referred to the Office of the Attorney General for consideration and confirmation that there is no impediment to publication. The commission of investigation has also deposited its archive with the Department. Given the length of the commission's tenure, there has been dual responsibility for it.”
“I thank all Senators who have contributed to this debate on the final substantive report of the Farrelly commission. There has been a wide range of speakers. I am appreciative of their input. It must be emphasised that the commission of investigation is an independent statutory commission empowered to investigate matters of significant public concern, possessing robust investigative powers and, by design and by law, exercising its functions and powers entirely independently of Government, the Minister and the Department. This is as it should be and as this Chamber would wish. The essence of an inquiry is that it should not be subject to political interference. I know that would be a key wish of this Chamber.”
“The circumstances of Grace's case were truly unacceptable and rightly caused great concern when they came to public attention. I again pay tribute to the whistleblowers who made protected disclosures relating to the handling of Grace's case.”
“The report has been sent to all necessary State bodies, including the HSE and Tusla, which took over responsibility for child and family services from the HSE when it was established in 2014. The HSE and Tusla are considering the report in detail and will take any action required on foot of its findings. While it is never possible to say with 100% certainty that a safeguarding issue could not occur in any setting in the future, there has been a marked change in the way we as a country operate in respect of child safeguarding, in terms of both the way vulnerable children are looked after when in the care of the State and the manner in which vulnerable adults with disabilities are cared for in the range of services available to them.”
“For the information of the House, I also received correspondence from the commission of investigation stating that it had fully discharged its obligations under section 34 of the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004. That section outlines that before submitting the final or an interim report to the specified Minister, a commission shall send a draft of the report, or the relevant part of the draft report, to any person who is identified in or identifiable from the draft report. It also stipulates that the draft report must be accompanied by a notice from the commission specifying the time allowed for making submissions or requests. The commission further confirmed its view that all steps were duly taken in considering submissions received, including those made on behalf of Grace.”
“I also inquired about Grace's general well-being. In response, the general solicitor, as committee of Grace, advised that they have arranged for regular reviews of Grace's care in a residential home by independent social workers. I also met with the General Solicitor for Minors and Wards of Court at her request. She confirmed that considered and extensive submissions were made on behalf of Grace to the commission of investigation. The general solicitor was clear that management of the submissions made to the commission remains a matter for the commission itself. In that meeting, the General Solicitor for Minors and Wards of Court indicated that Grace is extremely happy and is living a meaningful and fulfilled life supported by a small team who are very committed to her well-being.”
“Following extensive consideration of these matters by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, the Government has taken a decision that there is not a clear basis for moving forward to a phase 2 of the commission of investigation. I requested the commission to inform those with whom the general solicitor engaged of my intention to publish the report. The commission was not of a mind to do so. I did have the contact details for the ward of court for Grace but not for anyone else involved in the work of the commission. As the House will appreciate, the work of the commission has rightly been private and confidential. Consequently, I sent a notification to the ward of court to alert Grace's representatives that I would be publishing the final substantive report.”
“This included 47 cases where other children had stayed with Mr. X and Mrs. X in their home as part of fostering or respite arrangements. The commission’s statement on part X conclusions indicates that there is an absence of information in the possession of the commission identifying issues for further investigation. This is with respect to matters to do with the role or conduct of public authorities in respect of seven cases identified, akin to the type of concerns raised in respect of Grace, save for two cases, where the role of public authorities has already been investigated and reported upon by the commission. The commission states that there were no prosecutions recommended by An Garda Síochána or directed to be taken by the DPP in the case of any of the 47 people referenced in the statement on part X.”
“For the information of the House, with regard to the provision of an executive summary, which I requested to be included, the commission’s expressed view was that it would have been impracticable to do so, having regard to the detailed factual background derived from the evidence contained in its three substantive reports, which collectively amount to around 2,800 pages. It stated in its final substantive report that, “The commission's substantive reports should be read together for the purpose of fully understanding the commission’s findings.” One of the commission’s terms of reference known as part X relates to whether the facts and information gathered in the course of the inquiry warrant scope for any further work which the commission could undertake in the public interest.”
“The commission’s report found that the general absence of oversight and monitoring of Grace in her placement by the South-Eastern Health Board and the HSE inevitably permitted the areas of neglect established in the evidence to develop or persist over time more or less unchecked. This was a fundamental failure of their duty of care to Grace in the circumstances. The commission further highlights shortcomings by the South-Eastern Health Board in the investigation of sexual abuse allegations made against family X and the lack of proper consideration to the position of Grace and her care in that context.”
“X of Grace’s disability allowance in breach of her duties as agent. The evidence to the commission did not establish neglect of Grace in the provision of food and sustenance to her over the years she lived with family X. The commission is not satisfied that the evidence was such as to establish that marks or bruises sustained by Grace were as a result of her having been subjected to physical abuse. The evidence did not establish that Grace had been subjected to sexual abuse over the years that she lived with family X. The commission is not satisfied that evidence provided established or supported a finding that there had been emotional abuse of Grace. The commission makes a number of findings in the final substantive report about decision-making in relation to Grace’s care throughout the period July 2007 to March 2010.”
“The final substantive report from the commission was published on 15 April 2025. The commission of investigation gathered 312,000 pages of documentation over the course of eight years with the final report running to almost 2,000 pages. The commission’s independent findings on the extent to which Grace suffered any abuse are as follows. There is a finding of serious neglect on the part of Mrs. X in relation to the lack of attention to Grace’s dental care. There is a finding of neglect on the part of Mrs. X in not ensuring that Grace attended the day centre more regularly and more consistently. The commission is satisfied that there was neglect in the standard of care provided by Mrs. X to Grace based on evidence given in relation to Grace’s clothing and personal hygiene. There was a level of financial mismanagement or abuse by Mrs.”