Ms Kate Duggan:

We are moving towards improving our compliance but we have to be honest about the demand that is coming. When I set out those types of numbers, we are a new service, and are still trying to staff that service at pace. HIQA will say we are responding to the greatest risks. However, in terms of becoming compliant with HIQA standards, it has to be a perfect standard. It has to be the perfect service in terms of documentation, oversight, supervision and our interagency collaboration. In 2023 and 2024, it was about reacting, responding, finding a place of safety and getting staff employed. It came quickly at us in the context of significant demand in the rest of the agency. We have certainly invested. We have received investment from the Department. We have brought that staff complement to well over 100 people now. There is certainly movement towards much better compliance.