Pringle slams HSE in pressing Minister on review of CHO1 safeguarding systems

By Thomas Pringle
Updated: 9th October 2024

Independent TD for Donegal, Thomas Pringle, has questioned the HSE commitment to making things right following the Brandon Report, as he pressed the Minister on a long-awaited review of safeguarding systems in CHO1.

Addressing Minister Anne Rabbitte in the Dáil on Tuesday evening, Deputy Pringle said he first raised the issue of the Brandon Report in a Topical Issue in the Dáil in July 2021.

Deputy Pringle said: “At that time the Ceann Comhairle said on the conclusion of the issue, ‘members of the public watching these proceedings will wonder if they live in a democracy or an autocracy when a state agency can deliberately and protractedly frustrate the efforts of a Minister of State to get information about a fundamentally serious matter.’

“Since that time, you have tried to get the HSE in Donegal, and I would contend nationally, to be accountable for the failings to service users in Donegal at Ard Greine and indeed to Brandon himself.

“Families unfortunately have been kept waiting, too. The whole way that families have been treated has been terrible and leaves a stain on all of us and whether we can ever achieve answers for them is debatable at this stage, I think.

“The HSE have presented the closure of Ard Greine and the de-congregation of the setting as the solution to end the problem. However, how much de-congregation has actually happened, Minister, at Ard Greine? Perhaps you could address that in your response as well.

“It is my information that nothing has happened there and that is shocking, and calls into question the HSE commitment to making things right, even at this stage.

“Sadly, I don’t believe that there has ever been an acceptance by the HSE that what happened was wrong and they would make sure it would not happen again. The fact that de-congregation has not happened proves that.

“I know you have worked on the issue and have tried to get the system, meaning the HSE, to deal with the issue and treat the families with the respect they deserve. It seems to have been down, once again, to saving money on behalf of the HSE and the most important people, the service users, are being left behind,” he said.

The deputy raised the issue during Topical Issues.

Deputy Pringle said: “Unfortunately Minister, it is over a year now since you said that you would be in a position to publish a review of the system in CHO1 that you hoped would make learning from the mistakes of the past possible, by looking at what works and what does not work in the system and whether the system is now robust.

“Recently as well some people have been offered to participate at this late stage or maybe give feedback to the reviewer. I know that they have not been contacted or spoken to during the process, which I think isn’t good enough.

“While the purpose of this process might be to look at what currently is in place, surely we need to know about the failings of the system as well. In order to see what works it is surely necessary to understand what didn’t work.

“There is also the issue of the HSE nationally, which I don’t think is addressed by this process at all. There is no doubt that Brandon and the service users were failed by the HSE locally in Donegal but I believe we all were failed by the HSE nationally. They participated in a cover-up and only looked to protect themselves as an organisation.

“It is only by all of us admitting where things were done wrong before that we can aim to correct mistakes in the future. The least that the victims of Brandon and their families can hope is that this will not happen to another family. But sadly, I’m not sure that will be the way, with the way things have gone,” he said.

In her response, Minister Rabbitte said earlier this year she requested that Colm Lehane, independent chair of the strategic working group established by chief officer of CHO1, also prepare a high-level report on disability services in the area, to provide an independent assessment of safeguarding structures and processes in place in the CHO. She said this report will address whether recommendations outlined in the Brandon Report and associated reports have been implemented by the HSE and CHO1, and she expected the final report in due course.

The minister also detailed the establishment and work of the strategic working group and the reporting structures for the group.

In his response, Deputy Pringle said: “The reality of the situation is that where an outcome of the Brandon Report was that it was supposed to be de-congregated, it hasn’t been. I’ve been dealing with this since, I think it must be about 2016, and it still hasn’t been de-congregated yet, and that’s down to the HSE management not doing their job, not doing what they’re supposed to do,” he said.

The deputy said a service closed in the north of the county on foot of a Hiqa report that was down to facilities, rather than any safeguarding measures, and family members weren’t told what was happening.

Deputy Pringle said: “But I think it’s symbolic that things aren’t changing. People aren’t being talked to, that I can see. We’re here now and the de-congregation hasn’t happened. And it hasn’t happened because the HSE aren’t working at it. And that’s a problem. Will your report say that when it comes out?”

In her response, Minister Rabbitte acknowledged Deputy Pringle’s ongoing advocacy for the most vulnerable.

She committed to talking to Mr Lehane to see exactly how close the report is to completion, saying she would like to bring it to a complete closure before this Dáil finishes. The minister said that people have a right to know.