The Taoiseach has backed a promise by the Minister for Older Persons to investigate allegations of abuse in specific nursing homes - but he stopped short of saying whether this would lead to a wider, and possibly national, inquiry into the sector. The Irish Examiner also asked him if a large number of those allegations can be substantiated, could her work form the basis of an inquiry into the allegations of abuse in nursing homes during the pandemic. “She has alerted me to certain issues in respect of certain reports.”During the week, Ms Butler vowed to investigate allegations of elder abuse in nursing homes during the pandemic. When told of stories printed in the Irish Examiner earlier this year and recently, she said she would “take on board everything”. This was echoed by Social Democrat co-leader Róisín Shortall who said the stories coming out of nursing homes were devastating.

Source: Irish Examiner July 03, 2021 15:45 UTC