Call for safeguarding legislation after Josie Ray murder

Updated / Wednesday, 11 Nov 2026 15:41

The case of Josie Ray, the 89-year-old woman murdered in her home in Nenagh, Co Tipperary in 2024, "identifies very clearly" Ireland's "lack of any adult safeguarding framework".

That is according to Patricia Rickard-Clarke, Chair Safeguarding Ireland, the charity that promotes the safeguarding of vulnerable adults.

52-year-old Hasan Ali Gori was sentenced to life in prison for Ms Ray's murder following a three-week trial at the Central Criminal Court in Co Limerick yesterday.

Speaking to RTÉ's News at One, Ms Rickard-Clarke said Ireland also has "no adult safeguarding legislation".

She said Safeguarding Ireland has been advocating for adult safeguarding legislation, which she said was "one of our main priortities".

"The second priority is the establishment of a cross-sectoral independent safeguarding body."

She said such a body should be "equipped with legislation powers to co-ordinate all aspects of adult-safeguarding".

She said there were "a number of bodies" that had been "trying to keep Josie safe" and a "cross-sectoral independent safeguarding body" would receive "reports of actual or suspected abuse or harm".

"They would respond to the reports and ensure that action is taken," she said.

Ms Rickard-Clarke said an offence of coercive control has existed in domestic violence legislation in Ireland since 2018, "but that is limited to a person who is or has been in an intimate relationship".

"It doesn't extend more widely than that in terms of other relationships or indeed people interacting with one another.

"And there are other offences also of serious harm, to include harm of psychological nature, there should be an offence for that.

"These offences could be contained in a Criminal Justice Bill now, and it is urgent that these be addressed and dealt with."

She pointed also to "huge gaps" in a data sharing where there are safeguarding issues.

Ms Rickard-Clarke added that "this prevents effective safeguarding practice".

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