Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is a constant challenge. HIQA provides a challenge. Any independent objective analysis would conclude that what HIQA has achieved is extraordinary and benefits the older person who is cared for in a nursing home. To be fair, HIQA has dragged us kicking and screaming into the 21st century in the area of care for the elderly. HIQA continues to challenge us on a daily basis.

The Chairman referred to capacity where numbers have been reduced. HIQA officials talk a good deal about the lived experience and making it more like a home. There is nothing homely about having one bed on top of another bed and a locker in between and so on. HIQA wants space for dignity and privacy and so on and we support that. The Department accepts that this is the future and we are happy to reduce the bed numbers accordingly. My predecessor, Ms Kathleen Lynch, a party colleague of the Chairman, announced a major refurbishment programme of works covering the length and breadth of the country for all community nursing units in public hands. Those responsible are taking into account these matters. Many have the capacity to move back into the same space they were in. Some will experience a reduction in beds while others do not have the physical space but where we have the physical space to extend, we are extending and trying to maintain the capacity in numbers. There is a challenge based on each home. We are not fighting HIQA on this or saying we need to keep eight beds in a room because there were always eight beds in that room. We accept that four beds is the optimum if that is what HIQA is saying. We are happy to go along with that and try to build around it as opposed to fighting it.