Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 10: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when she will introduce legislation to regulate and inspect disability services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6863/10]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 49: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on reports that more than 500 complaints were made in the past two and a half years relating to the treatment of persons with disabilities in residential care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6967/10]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 56: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when all residential care centres for persons with disabilities will be subject to independent standards and inspection; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6966/10]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I proposed to take Questions Nos. 10, 49 and 56 together.

As Deputies will be aware, the National Quality Standards: Residential Settings for People with Disabilities, which relate to adult services, have been published by HIQA. Following a public consultation process initiated by HIQA, these standards were formulated by a standards advisory group which comprised officials from HIQA, the Department, the HSE, service providers, organisations representing people with disabilities and service users. These standards will provide a national framework for quality, safe services for persons with disabilities in a residential setting.

In light of the current economic situation, the move to full statutory implementation of the standards, including regulation and inspection, presents significant challenges at this time. However, notwithstanding the difficulties of immediate statutory implementation, the Department, the HSE and HIQA have agreed that progressive non-statutory implementation of the standards will now commence and that they will become the benchmark against which the HSE assesses both its own directly-operated facilities and other facilities that it funds. Discussions are ongoing regarding the development of self-assessment tools, providing awareness training for service providers and the introduction of an appropriate level of external validation for relevant settings.

A number of preliminary processes are already in place within the HSE to facilitate this work. For example, compliance with the HIQA standards is included in the service level agreements being implemented between the HSE and service providers. As part of the ongoing review of service level agreements, service providers will now be required to demonstrate compliance with the standards through the provision of audit outcomes. I am informed by the HSE that the majority of service providers have already commenced a review of their services within the context of the HIQA standards. Many service providers have also achieved external accreditation over the past number of years.

I am assured by the HSE that it has a robust system in place to deal with any complaints made in respect of the treatment of persons with disabilities in residential care. This includes ensuring that all HSE-funded service providers of residential care have appropriate complaints procedures that are in line with HSE policy.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Minister of State will acknowledge that there are 8,000 adults and 400 children in institutions of care and that there are no independent inspectors. Hundreds of complaints have been made about these institutions in the past two years. These complaints relate to issues from poor accommodation to allegations of abuse or neglect. Last year, the Ryan report illustrated the extent of the abuse that took place in industrial schools in the past. This week, "Primetime" reminded us of the dreadful living conditions and absence of therapeutic treatments in State psychiatric hospitals and institutions.

I know the Minister of State accepts that we must protect the disabled from abuse. I put it to him, however, that the €5 million that could have been saved by applying the full 5% pay cut to senior civil servants would pay for this inspectorate to be put in place by the end of the year. I am seeking from him a commitment to the effect that he will find the money to allow this to happen. We are discussing the most vulnerable people in our society and they must be protected.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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I support the comments made by Deputy Reilly. More than 500 complaints have been made in the past two and a half years. There is a need to shine a light on these institutions. The Joint Committee on Health and Children, of which some of those present are members, must visit these facilities and members of the public must make constant visits to their relatives and friends within them. Unfortunately for many of those who live in these institutions, no one visits them or sees what is happening.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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They do not have anyone to speak for them.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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What is planned is welcome but it must be put in place sooner rather than later. As public representatives, we have a duty to visit the institutions to which I refer.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Deputy Jan O'Sullivan referred to the 500 complaints that have been made in the past two and a half years. The reality is that the people living in these institutions are often voiceless and are not in a position to make such complaints, which underlines the need to put in place an inspection regime.

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I do not want to offer excuses in respect of this extremely important issue. Last year, Inclusion Ireland complained that we were not carrying out inspections in respect of children. The position in this regard has changed and such inspections will be forthcoming before the end of this year. I wish I could say when all of these matters will be dealt with. The report is imminent and I am committed to securing the funding to provide for an inspectorate.

I take the point made by the Deputies in respect of the many people who live in institutions of this nature. While I accept that 500 is a large number of complaints - I do not wish to reduce the import of what was said by Members opposite in this regard - many of those complaints could easily have been dealt with if the inspectorate were in place.