Geraldine Feeney (Fianna Fail)

Today, the HSE appointed a director of nursing at the home. Quite frankly, I did not see the matter as one of agreement as the nursing home had no choice in the matter. It is only my opinion. As the HSE has also deployed senior nursing staff, it is hoped that conditions will improve. There is an onus on An Bord Altranais to consider the matter and examine the footage we saw the other night in light of the fitness to practice of the nurses involved. While care workers are not covered by the fitness to practice regulations laid down by the Houses of the Oireachtas, the behaviour of nurses involved in these matters should be examined.

I agree that it is necessary to create an independent inspectorate and that an inspector should not have to give warning of a visit. The only way we can get a true picture of conditions in a nursing home is if an inspector can simply arrive at a nursing home, knock on the door and say he or she is there to inspect a facility, warts and all. I was glad to hear the Taoiseach say yesterday that the Health (Nursing Homes) Act 1990 was insufficient and would be reviewed as a matter of urgency. Today's newspapers indicate senior civil servants consider the current legislation and regulations to have been drawn up for a different era. Who could have envisaged we would have the number of private nursing homes we have seen established over the past five or six years? The legislation cannot be rushed and must be carefully considered. We all remember when only a few short months ago——