Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is lovely to be back again in these beautiful surroundings. Every time I look up at those beautiful Waterford Crystal chandeliers, I think how very lucky we are to be in such an opulent room.

I want to thank the Senator for raising this very important issue. Every person who is supported in older person's services is entitled to expect and receive supports of the highest standard. Quality care and patient safety is a priority, and our continued focus is, and will always be, to deliver safe, high-quality services.

Nursing home providers are ultimately responsible for the safe care of their residents. Since 2009, HIQA has been the statutory independent regulator in place for the nursing home sector, whether homes are HSE-managed or private nursing homes. As the Senators will be aware, there are currently 585 nursing homes in Ireland, 80% of which are privately owned and 20% of which are run by the HSE. The authority, established under the Health Act 2007, has significant and wide-ranging powers, up to and including, withdrawing the registration of a nursing home facility, which means that it can no longer operate as a service provider. This responsibility is underpinned by a comprehensive quality framework comprising registration regulations, care and welfare regulations and national quality standards. In discharging its duties, HIQA determines, through the examination of all information available to it, including site inspections, whether a nursing home meets the regulations in order to achieve and maintain its registration status. Should a nursing home be deemed to be non-compliant with the regulations and the national quality standards, it may either fail to achieve, or lose, its registration status. In addition, the chief inspector has wide discretion in deciding whether to impose conditions of registration on nursing homes. As the Senator will appreciate, it is not appropriate to speak about individual cases, however, I can assure the House that the HSE is engaging directly with the nursing home in question, and has been since early November 2020.Last week, arising from concerns about the operation and management of the nursing home, HIQA's chief inspector initiated court proceedings under the Health Act 2007 to cancel the registration of the nursing home. In accordance with the legal process, the HSE has formally taken charge of the nursing home to carry on its operation until alternative arrangements for the residents can be put in place. The HSE is undertaking various assessments of the situation and is considering its options in order to ensure the safety and care of the residents in question. The situation is evolving rapidly, as the Senator has noted, and involves a complex set of circumstances.

I am aware of how distressing a time this is for residents and families of those who have passed away as a result of Covid-19. I express my condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in this nursing home. The Senator said he had been informed of two more deaths today so that brings to eight the number of older people who have lost their lives in that home. I sincerely sympathise with all their families. My officials will continue to engage with the HSE on this matter and I will ask the HSE to ensure it communicates appropriately with residents and families. Communication is one of the key issues here.

Unfortunately, I am not in a position to answer questions about various individual nursing homes the Senator has raised or the transfer of patients. However, he may rest assured that I will raise these issues and concerns immediately with the Department of Health and the HSE to try to get some understanding of exactly what the situation is.