Debate contribution: Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry Final Report
Debate contribution by Mrs Linda Dillon on .
- MLA
- Mrs Linda Dillon
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 22 June 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Ministerial Statement
- Heading
- Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry Final Report
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5637778
Read the official Assembly record
Text
With your indulgence, a Cheann Comhairle,
I use the opportunity to pay tribute to Geraldine O'Hagan, who was one of the staff members to whom the Minister refers in his statement who paid a high price. In June 2024, Geraldine passed away. However, she survived to hear her statement read at the inquiry. At that time, she was under hospice care for stage 4 cancer. She was the epitome of what healthcare should look like. She cared deeply, and, for that, she was gaslighted and disbelieved, and she and her job were threatened. After news of the Muckamore scandal came out, Geraldine continued to support families, trying to help them to get their loved ones into better independent living circumstances. Will you give us assurances, Minister, about staff who do their job and speak up? You talked about the many staff members who are overwhelmingly good, yet they did not speak up. The people who were not doing it did not speak up —
— they did not shout; and they did not support the families.
What assurance can you give us that those who see abuse, neglect and harmful practices will be listened to and protected? Do you agree that now is the time for legislation on an individual duty of candour? We need to see that now. People need to face consequences when they do not act.
229 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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