Five ras staff get court summonses

SUMMONSES have been issued by gardaí against five staff at the Áras Attracta care centre in Swinford for allegedly assaulting patients, who are intellectually disabled, last year.

One staff member, a female, has been issued with a number of summonses.

The charges against all defendants are being brought under Section 2 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

It is understood that some of the accused will be seeking to have counsel represent them.

The cases are listed for Ballina District Court in June but are unlikely to go ahead then.

According to legal sources, an application will be made by various solicitors representing the accused for an order of disclosure of various papers and documents that the State are seeking to rely on.

The cases are then likely to be adjourned to a later date, probably September.

Thirteen staff members in total were suspended following a Primetime TV programme on RTÉ.

Investigating garda officers viewed some 190 hours of secretly recorded footage and took lengthy and detailed statements from staff at the HSE-run centre.

The State case will rely heavily on the TV footage.

If convicted, those accused could face a fine of up to €1,905 or up to six months in jail, or both.