Dr. Kathleen MacLellan:

The Department fully supports enhancing and building the powers of HIQA, as has been recommended by the expert panel report. Indeed, we have set up a bilateral project group to work across the Department and HIQA examining which of the regulations need to be strengthened, what powers could additionally be assigned and how quickly we can do that.

We work closely with HIQA and meet with the authority on a regular basis. We have ongoing engagement around regulations, powers it has and the form of regulation in place across our older person services. We are working with HIQA on home care services which do not have a structured, formalised regulatory system in place. We are fully committed to work on the legislative programme and to work through the recommendations which have been clear on the Department working with HIQA to assess what processes could be put in place around individual complaints. We also will work generally with HIQA on what additional powers could and should be assigned.

My colleague, Mr. Niall Redmond, wants to come in on this.