Five staff put on paid leave after residential care centre abuse claims

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Independent.ie Newsdesk

Five staff at a residential centre for adults with intellectual disabilities have been put on paid leave as investigations continue into allegations of abuse.

Sunbeam House Services, which is based in Wicklow and southeast Dublin, said that the five staff members have been sent home while the allegations are investigated.

The centre which cares for people with intellectual disabilities, employs over 400 people and provides 155 residential care places in 23 centres.

Speaking to RTÉ News, the charity's chief executive officer Hugh Kane said five staff were on paid leave "at the present time".

Mr Kane previously told RTÉ previously that Sunbeam House Services had "received allegations raising concerns about potential safeguarding issues" in the centre.

He said the allegations had been considered by senior staff, including the Sunbeam House Services's internal safeguarding team, some of whom had interviewed the complainant before management informed the gardaí later that day.

Mr Kane said the allegations had been referred to the gardaí in the area where the centre is located. He said the centre had informed "all the relevant authorities" and had "spoken to the families (of the residents) involved."

The charity said it was liaising with the gardaí and the Health Information and Quality Authority on the issue.