Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

With regard to the amendment, it is not a good idea to give HIQA an overarching role in all the functions of the agency and that is not the way to progress. My Department and the Department of Health has given HIQA responsibility for certain areas, including the sectors I mentioned in child protection and children's services, and that is the way to progress. It is doing very effective work and it will shortly take over responsibility for residential services for children with disabilities and other areas.

It is preferable to progress that way instead of immediately saying it has an oversight of all of the functions. Its functions are set out in legislation and, of course, I can be involved with the Department of Health as regards changing that. There is no question about that. We have already brought it into the children and family services, the first time it has done that.

I will not accept the amendment. It is not the way to go regarding a future role for HIQA in respect of the agency.