Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The prescription of a mandatory annual visit would not prevent more regular visits. As the Minister indicated, in cases where a service is not in order more visits are required. I do not believe such a change would inhibit extra visits. Adding a requirement that such visits should happen every year would ensure they would happen every year. If the Minister sticks to the general formula of “from time to time”, we run the severe risk that visits would not happen annually. We have seen from “Prime Time Investigates” the importance of ensuring there are regular inspections. I urge the Minister to reconsider the matter and accept the amendment.

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