Michael Collins (Cork South-West, Independent Ireland Party)

This country is crying out for accountability from regulatory bodies as we stumble from one scandal to another. Last week, I attended a public meeting in Oranmore, Galway, with Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice and Councillor Declan Kelly and met with parents whose children had been scammed by a local orthodontist and neglected by the Dental Council of Ireland. These parents paid large sums upfront in 2022 for their children's dental treatment only to find out they were being deceived. Some children were left with misaligned jaws, others with braces but no treatment plan, and some had to remove their braces themselves or with the help of others over the phone. One girl had a wire sticking into her mouth which her boyfriend eventually cut with clippers. These parents have faced significant challenges from the previous Government, the Dental Council and the former Minister for Health, with no solutions or support available. The Dental Council of Ireland is supposed to investigate the fitness of registered dentists to practise based on allegations of professional misconduct or unfitness due to physical or mental disability. According to the parents of these children, however, the Dental Council has done absolutely nothing to help them. These parents and children have been left over €2 million out of pocket, and children have been left with denture neglect at a very delicate age in their lives.

As regards another area of non-accountability, I recently raised twice in the Dáil with the Taoiseach during Leaders' Questions the scam that is going on with certain financial advisers. On foot of that, I attended a meeting with the Central Bank and some of the people affected who have had their lives destroyed because of these financial advisers. I was informed at that meeting with the Central Bank that yes, the Central Bank regulates financial advisers but these financial advisers can sell unregulated products. The website of the Central Bank states that, as the regulator of financial service providers and markets in Ireland, the bank has to ensure that the best interests of consumers are protected. Where is the protection for those whom I know of who have lost over €200 million by the Central Bank?

The third area of non-compliance relates to the recent "RTÉ Investigates" documentary titled "Inside Ireland's Nursing Homes", which has uncovered serious concerns about the standards of care in several residential facilities run by Emeis Ireland, the country's largest provider of private nursing homes. The documentary, which aired on 4 June 2025, revealed issues such as staff shortages, unsafe care practices and undignified treatment of residents. The investigation involved undercover researchers who documented multiple instances of neglect and poor care, including residents being left unsupervised, improper manual handling and inadequate responses to residents' needs. Nursing homes in Ireland are regulated primarily by the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA. HIQA is responsible for inspecting and registering residential care services for older people, including both public and private nursing homes. It ensures that these facilities meet the required standards of care and safety. Where was HIQA? We are forever in the Dáil seeking facts after the events, with well-paid regulatory bodies showing absolutely no accountability. How does the Tánaiste suggest we hold these bodies accountable going forward?

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