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	The Chief Executive of HIQA has described as &quot;critical&quot; the need for legislation to protect vulnerable adults, including older people, adults with intellectual disabilities and people with mental health issues.</p>
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	Phelim Quinn told RT&Eacute;&#39;s This Week programme that HIQA had been calling for such legislation since 2014.</p>
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	However no such legislation is listed on the Government programme of legislation for the term of the current D&aacute;il.</p>
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	Mr Quinn said that the HSE &quot;haven&#39;t actually got a legal status in relation to the protection of vulnerable adults&quot;.</p>
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	He said this hampered the HSE&#39;s ability to conduct investigations into abuse allegations or concerns.</p>
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	&quot;The HSE doesn&#39;t have the right of access, doesn&#39;t have the right of entry or, for that matter, the right of access to information on that individual,&quot; he said.</p>
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	Mr Quinn described the lack of legislation to facilitate this as &quot;a significant gap&quot;.</p>
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	The HIQA chief called for &quot;very, very specific safeguarding legislation for vulnerable adults&quot;.</p>
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	He said this should grant the HSE &quot;the ability as a lead agency of the state to lead on inquiries into what are actual or potential safeguarding circumstances&quot;.</p>
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	Mr Quinn told This Week that HIQA is seeking &quot;something akin to Children First legislation&quot;, under which adults could be removed from risk and protected from abuse swiftly by social care workers.</p>
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	(Published by the RTE.ie on the 20th November 2016)</p>
<p>
	<a href="https://www.rte.ie/news/2016/1120/833118-vulnerable/">https://www.rte.ie/news/2016/1120/833118-vulnerable/</a></p>
