Results 41-60 of 26,795 for speaker:David Cullinane

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Standards of Care, Related Practices and Oversight in Nursing Homes: Discussion (18 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: Did “RTÉ Investigates” send a letter to HIQA 12 days before the programme aired setting out questions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Standards of Care, Related Practices and Oversight in Nursing Homes: Discussion (18 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: Was it prior to the programme being aired?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Standards of Care, Related Practices and Oversight in Nursing Homes: Discussion (18 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: When Ms Fitzgerald said in her opening statement that until the programme aired on 4 June 2025, HIQA was not aware of the full detail of what was found in the footage, she was not correct if RTÉ had set out in a letter very detailed questions concerning issues it found in its investigation for its programme.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Standards of Care, Related Practices and Oversight in Nursing Homes: Discussion (18 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: That is not what Ms Fitzgerald said; she said she was not aware of the full detail of what was found in the footage. What was in the footage-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Standards of Care, Related Practices and Oversight in Nursing Homes: Discussion (18 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: With respect, Ms Fitzgerald should bear with me. What was in the footage was outlined in the letter sent by “RTÉ Investigates”.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Standards of Care, Related Practices and Oversight in Nursing Homes: Discussion (18 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: When Ms Fitzgerald says HIQA had no sense, she should note that the two healthcare assistants who went undercover also made protected disclosures. In fact, they had two phone calls with HIQA, one that lasted 40 minutes and one that lasted 25 minutes. This was a month before the programme aired and, again, all the issues were set out. Therefore, with respect, it is not accurate at all for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Standards of Care, Related Practices and Oversight in Nursing Homes: Discussion (18 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: No, I am asking Ms Fitzgerald the questions. I am asking very direct questions because the matter is important. Did the two healthcare assistants who were part of the undercover programme speak to HIQA in advance of the programme being aired?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Standards of Care, Related Practices and Oversight in Nursing Homes: Discussion (18 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: They made HIQA aware of the issues, however. I wanted to set that out very clearly at the start because accountability is important and families feel very let down by HIQA, as a regulator, and the Government. I have spoken to many of them. I want to ask Ms Fitzgerald about the changing nature of nursing homes because we now have what I would consider to be a large number of multinational...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Standards of Care, Related Practices and Oversight in Nursing Homes: Discussion (18 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: Take the case of Dublin, Beneavin. According to HIQA’s interim report published yesterday, there were 198 allegations of suspected or confirmed abuse of a resident there. This is shocking. What financial penalties have been imposed on any of the individual homes or the corporate body, given all the issues that have been raised? It is a straight question and I want a straight answer.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Standards of Care, Related Practices and Oversight in Nursing Homes: Discussion (18 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: What financial penalties have been imposed?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Standards of Care, Related Practices and Oversight in Nursing Homes: Discussion (18 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: So, none. With respect, what we saw in a programme was cost-cutting by a corporate body leading to a neglect of residents. Families feel very let down. The quality of care was substandard. It was clear to me that this was about a corporate body trying to save money and cutting costs. HIQA has no powers to impose any financial penalties whatsoever. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Standards of Care, Related Practices and Oversight in Nursing Homes: Discussion (18 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: The question can be answered quickly with “Yes” or “No”.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Standards of Care, Related Practices and Oversight in Nursing Homes: Discussion (18 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: Does Ms Fitzgerald think HIQA should have them?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Standards of Care, Related Practices and Oversight in Nursing Homes: Discussion (18 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: What percentage of all nursing homes is private?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Standards of Care, Related Practices and Oversight in Nursing Homes: Discussion (18 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: Over the past ten years, on Fine Gael's watch, the percentage of private nursing homes has gone from 35% to nearly 80%. Of the ten prosecutions that HIQA sought last year in respect of nursing homes, how many were corporate or private nursing homes?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Standards of Care, Related Practices and Oversight in Nursing Homes: Discussion (18 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: Why not?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Standards of Care, Related Practices and Oversight in Nursing Homes: Discussion (18 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: The Minister of State has responsibility for this sector and there has been a scandal in a number of nursing homes. There is a big focus on the lack of regulation, which I will discuss in a moment. I will give the Minister of State the answer to save him sifting through the pages in front of him. Eight out of the ten prosecutions sought last year were related to these corporates.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Standards of Care, Related Practices and Oversight in Nursing Homes: Discussion (18 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: On the Government's watch, a lot of family-run nursing homes have been run out of the market and corporate companies have come in, in particular, the company that was the subject of an "RTÉ Investigates" programme. HIQA has said it needs new powers to deal with corporate entities. The Minister of State is on record as saying HIQA does not need any more powers. It does and this is...