28 October 2021
Human rights group the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has said the longstanding abuse which took place at St Joseph’s Community Hospital and the Ard Gréine Court complex could and should have been prevented by a properly empowered independent inspection system.
Ireland signed the UN’s anti-torture treaty 15 years ago but still has not implemented a National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) which would prevent this kind of abuse. Such a system is not in place despite repeated warnings from UN human rights bodies.
ICCL’s Head of Legal and Policy, Doireann Ansbro, said:
“There may be other victims out there. A preventive mechanism would mean independent inspectors would visit care homes with a focus on the human rights of the residents. They would speak to all residents and where they discovered sexual abuse on this scale, they would be able to take real preventative action.
They would also be able to visit private nursing homes such as the home the abuser in this case was moved to in 2016. We have serious questions about the safety of residents in that home after his arrival.”
There are many places across the country where people are deprived of their liberty where adequate inspections are still not taking place. For example, Direct Provision centres are inspected only from a health and safety perspective. Residents do not have an opportunity to speak to inspectors, and inspections are announced in advance. There are also serious concerns as to whether nursing homes and care homes are adequately inspected.
ICCL recommends the immediate establishment of a National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) as set out in the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention Against Torture which Ireland signed in 2007 but is yet to ratify. This body should come under the remit of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.
We also call on the DPP to clarify its decision not to investigate this case any further.
There may be other abusers. Their victims cannot wait any longer.
ENDS/
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) is Ireland’s oldest independent human rights campaigning organisation. We monitor, educate and campaign to secure human rights for everyone in Ireland.
For comment: Doireann Ansbro
For media queries: sinead.nolan@iccl.ie