Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the witnesses for their presentation which I watched remotely. The witnesses said HIQA had a monitoring role rather than an enforcement role. HIQA referred to potential enforcement powers such as closing a service or taking legal action. What enforcement powers would HIQA like to have? What would assist it in its role and move it from the monitoring status it has?

I am also interested in what Tusla is saying to HIQA when HIQA inspects a service and finds problems. When HIQA investigates a hospital, the management might say there are difficulties because of X, Y, or Z. What is Tusla saying when HIQA finds problems with its service, besides referring to the lack of social workers, which is fairly well publicised? One of the issues there is that we do not have enough college places and cannot churn them out fast enough. There is definitely demand from students who want to do those courses, but that is a different issue. What does Tusla say it needs?

Ms Dunnion touched on the cumbersome process to become a foster carer. What are the barriers? What puts people off? What do we need to do to encourage more people to take on the role?

Ms Dunnion said that where HIQA finds a significant risk, it ensures a safety plan is put in place. What is a safety plan? What does it look like? Is there a timeframe and are there certain things that need to be completed in that plan? Does HIQA reinspect to see if the plan has been completed?

How does HIQA find out about problems? Do people report them or is it through random inspections? Is it possible that HIQA is only seeing part of the picture and that the figures and statistics we have are only those things HIQA has found? Could there be a wider issue?

Is there or should there be ongoing training and updating of skills and knowledge for foster carers? Would it be appropriate to have an annual conference or an update every three or four years for carers on the latest standards?