David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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May I put a direct question to Mr. Walsh? One of the key issues arising from both reports concerns clinical governance and the role and authority of HIQA to examine issues in nursing homes. I am not sure whether Mr. Walsh saw the hearing last week when we had HIQA representatives before us. They outlined to us the many exchanges they have had with the Department, the HSE and Ministers calling for more powers, better regulations and changes to the Health Act. They have subsequently sent us a detailed note cataloguing all their requests, all of which fell on deaf ears. When the questions on poor clinical governance and the lack of a strong relationship between the HSE and nursing homes were put to the HSE, they were knocked back by very senior representatives of Mr. Walsh's organisation. Now that both reports have identified clinical governance weaknesses, people will want to know what the HSE and the Department are going to do about them. That is a very direct question for Mr. Walsh, and also for the Department.