Report outlines recommendations for the Adult Protection Bill
The Commissioner has published a detailed report outlining key recommendations for the draft Adult Protection Bill, in order to strengthen the protections it will provide for older people.
The Adult Protection Bill is one of the most significant pieces of legislation Northern Ireland has seen in years and its introduction is a direct response to Home Truths, the former Commissioner Eddie Lynch’s landmark investigation into Dunmurry Manor care home, published in 2018, which exposed serious systemic failings and called for dedicated adult safeguarding legislation to bring Northern Ireland in line with the rest of the UK.
As the Bill progresses through the Assembly, COPNI has played a central role in advising the Department of Health on the reforms needed to ensure older people are properly protected. Our written evidence, submitted on 8 October 2025, sets out a number of essential changes the legislation must include if it is to deliver the safeguards older people deserve.
On 20 November, the Commissioner and COPNI’s Head of Legal and Advocacy, Aimee Miller, attended the Health Committee to answer questions on this evidence and to highlight the most critical areas for improvement and why they are vital to effective adult protection.
