Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)

There is an added piece with regard to leadership. In the responses at the health committee last week, in the instance of Beneavin nursing home, there is 100% non-compliance with fire safety systems in that building. We were told that it does not relate to the structure, but rather only to the fire systems.

If the fires systems are not fully operational, there is an immediate fire risk. It may not happen today or tomorrow, but it could happen at some stage and there is a very real patient safety risk. To hear that sort of response and lack of urgency on the part of the leadership of HIQA is deeply troubling. There needs to be very clear action taken to ensure that the leadership team of HIQA is fit for purpose.

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