Written answers

Tuesday, 31 January 2006

Department of Health and Children

Health Services

8:00 pm

Photo of Paul Connaughton  SnrPaul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 218: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if a working group has been set up with regard to the social services inspectorate taking over responsibility for the inspection of nursing homes; the terms of reference and the members of the working group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3054/06]

Photo of Seán PowerSeán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Legislation is being prepared in the Department to provide for the establishment of the health information and quality authority, HIQA, and the establishment of the social services inspectorate, SSI, function as part of HIQA on a statutory basis. The SSI function will be vested in a new statutory office to be known as the Office of the Chief Inspector of Social Services. The legislation will also provide for the establishment of a registration system in respect of residential services for children and for older people and people with disabilities to replace existing registration procedures in the Health (Nursing Homes) Act and the Child Care Acts.

It is intended that the functions of the office of the chief inspector will include, inter alia, monitoring of standards in respect of residential services for people with disabilities, older people and children in accordance with the Child Care Act 1991 and Part 2 of the Children Act 2001, family welfare conferences, and registering and carrying out inspections in respect of those services.

The preparation of the draft heads of this legislation is at an advanced stage and it is hoped to submit these to the Government shortly. It is intended to publish the draft heads so as to allow for a period of consultation on their contents prior to commencing the drafting of the Bill. The existing SSI will also be included in this consultation.

A working group has been established by my Department to develop the standards for residential care settings for older people. Membership is as follows: Ms Dolores Moran, principal officer, Department of Health and Children, chair; Ms Alison Keogh, assistant principal officer, Department of Health and Children; Ms Michele Clark, chief inspector, SSI; Ms Mo Flynn, Health Service Executive; Ms Jennifer Doran, Irish Health Service Accreditation Board; Ms Julie Ling, Department of Health and Children; Ms Ann Kelly, Health Service Executive; Dr. Catherine Murphy, Health Service Executive; and Mr. Derek Finnegan, Department of Health and Children.

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