James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the HIQA representatives for their presentation.

I have two points. First, I was talking to a senior nurse recently who told me that when HIQA first turned up a number of years ago there was a lot of resentment towards it but in hindsight the work that has been achieved as a result of HIQA is immeasurable and fantastic. That highlights the change of mindset and the journey people have been on. We see HIQA working with people.

This point has been touched on a little. Horrendous abuse has happened in individual nursing homes in a setting where there are other staff, there is management and there is potential for others, such as family members, to walk in unannounced. There are a lot of social norms there as well and it is quite unusual that such abuse could still happen in those situations. Obviously, there are rarely such circumstances in people's homes. The person who goes into a home to look after a vulnerable person is in a very powerful position. There is no question that there is abuse going on in homes. Often, the only ones who knows it is going on, other than a family member who may walk in, are other staff working for the agency concerned who may come in. It is quite shocking that there is no enforcement in this area. Obviously, there will be difficulties when enforcement comes in, in terms of the constitutional implications of access to homes. I have two questions. First, what are the barriers to the extension of HIQA's powers to these settings? Is it simply that the focus is not brought onto it or is there a kick-back, or is it a cost issue? Second, where these services providers are putting someone into a home, what is the position on whistleblowers coming to HIQA and telling the authority - maybe, they are not in a position, because they are afraid for their own job to stand up to management - so that they can come to somebody and highlight a situation that they have become aware of?