The Social Protection Minister has said that a document handed to him in his previous portfolio outlining issues with care services for the intellectually disabled was “most certainly followed up on”.

Leo Varadkar says the information will likely form part of a Commission of Investigation.

Issues with the care of intellectually disabled people in the South East have emerged in recent months.

Today, Minister Leo Varadkar confirmed that when he was Health Minister the issue was brought to his attention.

The Social Protection Minister said that a whistleblowers-protected disclosure was brought to him, he met the individual along with former junior minister Kathleen Lynch and that officials in his department and the HSE did investigate further:

“It was certainly followed up on,” he said today.

“Both Minister Lynch and I met with the person who wrote the document.

“The most senior official at national director level in the HSE did as well, as did my officials.

“The first thing that was done of course was to make sure that nobody was currently at risk and everyone was safeguarded.”

Minister Varadkar said that senior counsel Conor Dignam was appointed to investigate, that work is nearing completion and that a Commission of Investigation may follow.