Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)

The objective of HIQA, as set out in section 7, is to promote safety and quality in the provision of health, social and personal services for the benefit of the health and welfare of the public. Section 8 sets out the functions of HIQA. These include its standard setting functions for services and its information functions. Under section 8(1)(i), HIQA must evaluate available information in respect of services provided by the Health Service Executive and service providers and the health and welfare of the population. This is a broad provision which is designed to reflect the complex and extensive environment of health information. HIQA is required under section 8(1)(j) to provide advice and make recommendations to the Minister and the Health Service Executive about deficiencies it has identified in this information.

In other words if HIQA discovers that information available on any aspect of services or on the health and welfare of the population is inadequate or incomplete, it must advise the Minister and the Health Service Executive and make recommendations accordingly. The proposed amendment would limit the scope of the information HIQA might evaluate to information on residential places. This is a far more narrow range than that offered under the Bill, and restricts the information evaluation function to evaluation of a single aspect of the services. In view of the wider range offered in the existing provisions, it is not proposed to accept the amendment.