Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy will be aware that HIQA has national standards for people in protection. In 2024, there were 300 inspections of IPAS centres. Some of them were performed by HIQA and some were performed by IPAS itself. A total of 82% of the centres were inspected in 2024. My officials inform me that there are inspections of premises on a yearly basis and that those inspections are well announced. I have visited IPA centres to see how they operate and to see whether I am satisfied with the quality of them. The HIQA inspections come before me and I consider them closely. Very many of the contracts that have been terminated this year, and I have terminated 12 contracts this year already, were terminated predominantly because I was not happy with the standards in the centres.