Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)

Work has been done with regard to the regulations and the legislation by both HIQA and the Mental Health Commission in terms of safeguarding in nursing homes. You also had the national safeguarding office being set up in the HSE and it has put teams in there. On a practical level, they are there.

For me, it is in the programme for Government, and I can only operate in the role I am in now, which is to look at what it is in the programme for Government. It includes bringing forward a safeguarding policy to Cabinet, which the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, will do very shortly. That is then up for decision. We will expedite the legislation. I can only work with what is in front of me but I am giving the commitment that this will expedited as quickly as possible.