Details of multiple incidents of alleged sexual abuse involving 19 residents at a disability residential facility in Donegal have emerged in the Dail.
Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle accused the HSE of failing to take action over the abuse at Ard na Greine in Stranorlar dating back 13 years.
Its claimed when HSE management were made aware of the incidents, the alleged offender was isolated, however, they were then inexplicably returned back among fellow residents and the abuse is believed to have began again.
Deputy Pringle says he was left with no other option than to raise the issue publicly:
Responding to Deputy Pringle, Minister of State for Health Anne Rabbitte says she shocked at what she heard and told of the repeated refusal by the HSE to provide her with a cover of the Brandon Report.
She says what she did view however in a redacted report earlier this week was stark:
In concluding the discussion, Ceann Comhairle, Seán Ó Fearghail said the issue will lead to people questioning if they live in a democracy:
