Gardaí seek summonses in Áras Attracta home inquiry

FIVE Áras Attracta staff are expected to face charges after an exposé uncovered alleged abuse of intellectually disabled people at the HSE run centre.

Some 13 staff members were suspended after undercover footage captured vulnerable residents being slapped, force- fed, physically restrained and shouted at.

The charges would be brought under Section 2 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act. If convicted at the District Court, five of the 13 could face a fine of up to €1,905, or up to six months in jail, or both.

The Garda investigation into the HSErun facility in Swinford, Co. Mayo, was launched following an RTÉ Investigations Unit programme by Prime Time last December. The footage showed residents being hit and then dragged along the floor, kicked and force-fed.

Following the screening of the programme, gardaí in Claremorris began an investigation. A dedicated team, headed by Superintendent Joe Doherty, viewed 190 hours of film recorded for the programme, and took detailed statements from Áras staff. A team of detectives carried out a detailed analysis of the footage, as well as reviewing the material filmed by RTÉ.

Interviews were conducted with care staff and relatives of those living in the home. The investigation resulted in a substantial file being submitted to the DPP.

On foot of the instructions from the DPP, gardaí are now seeking summonses to proceed to court hearings.