Health Committee chairperson, Derry MLA Maeve McLaughlin
Derry Sinn Féin MLA Maeve McLaughlin has called for legislation to protect older people from abuse.
Speaking after the Commissioner for Older People, Claire Keatinge, addressed the Assembly’s health committee, the Ms McLaughlin, chairperson of the committee, said all abuse against older people was “wrong.”
She said: “As a group older people are at risk of physical, financial and other forms of abuse.
“That abuse can take many forms and can take place in the home, in residential care institutions and in public.
“Regardless of the circumstances, all abuse against older people is wrong.
“Measures must be put in place to protect older people from abuse and in order for those measures to be robust and credible, legislation is needed.
“The Commissioner for Older People, Claire Keatinge, has pointed to the fact that legislation exists in England and Scotland to protect older people from abuse.
“We support her call for legislation to be introduced here.”
Ms McLaughlin concluded: “Older people make a huge contribution to our society and we must ensure that we do all we can to protect them.”
