There's been more than 230 complaints about abuse and neglect towards people with disabilities.
Figures show complaints to the health watchdog were about adults and children in residential care.
They include allegations of financial abuse.
UCD's Dr Sarah Donnelly says new laws need to clampdown on the abuse;
"It's encouraging that those complaints are being lodged and I would encourage all private nursing homes and residential centres to continue to do that
"I suppose my concerns really lie around our ability to investigate some of those concerns given our current legislative framework
"it very much raises the issue of whether we need mandatory reporting in order for those situations to be fully investigated", she claimed.
