Martin Daly: A stand-alone adult safeguarding authority is essential
Martin Daly addresses the report and endorses all recommendations, urging immediate legislation to establish a stand-alone adult safeguarding authority. He warns that predators and abusers exploit unclear reporting pathways and says an independent body is required rather than another arm of the HSE or HIQA.
Key recommendation: Martin Daly highlights the report's central finding: the need for a stand-alone adult safeguarding authority. He argues that this authority must be independent and able to make impartial decisions on safeguarding, not simply be another division of existing health structures.
Why legislation is necessary: Daly explains that uncertainty about reporting pathways allows predators, abusers and bullies to thrive, and points to repeated safeguarding scandals as evidence that a legal framework is overdue. He insists that legislation is required to protect adults as they age and to clarify routes to report abuse.
Impact on families and culture: Putting himself in the shoes of parents and carers, Daly stresses the duty to protect older people and adults with disabilities who may depend on the kindness of strangers. He calls for a regulatory framework that ensures safety, well-being and a culture of empathy, love and care.
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Thank you Comhairleach and thank you to Deputy Cullnan, the Rapporteur, for helping to produce this report and I'm delighted to be here to embrace and support all the recommendations in this report. It's clear that predators, abusers, bullies will thrive where there's uncertainty about pathways to report abuse and we've seen repeated cases and scandals in relation to safeguarding and as Deputy Clerk has said here, we may all end up in a situation as we grow older where we need the protection of legislation. It's clear that we need legislation introduced in regard to adult safeguarding. It's also clear to me that the most important line in this report is that we need a stand-alone adult safeguarding authority. We do not need another arm of the HSE, another arm of HICWA. We need a stand-alone adult safeguarding authority that is independent and can take independent judgment in relation to safeguarding issues. So we really have to again put ourselves into the shoes of parents who are getting older, who have adults living with disability, who will not be able to live independently, who will be dependent on the kindness of strangers and we have to provide a regulatory framework that ensures their safety, their well-being and not just, but also that the culture is one of empathy and love and care. So I again thank Deputy Conlan for bringing this report forward. I thank the CAHIRA for highlighting this and thank the committee for their work and I'm happy to be associated with it.
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