Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 149: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the costs of introducing a hospitals inspectorate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16897/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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A public consultation exercise is underway on the legislative proposals to provide for the establishment of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA).

It is envisaged that HIQA will set standards on safety and quality of services, including hospital services, provided by or on behalf of the Health Service Executive (HSE). It will monitor and advise the Minister and the HSE on the level of compliance with those standards. It will also have the power to investigate, at the request of the Minister or the HSE, the safety, quality and standards of any service and make whatever recommendations it deems necessary.

As the Deputy will appreciate it is too early at this stage to attribute costs to aspects of HIQA's role in relation to hospitals until the coverage, range and operation of any standards have been determined.