Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 68: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has sought an explanation from the Health Service Executive regarding the circumstances in which a number of nursing homes were not considered suitable for contracted patients despite the fact that all of these homes had previously been assessed as suitable by a team from the HSE which was independent of the routine nursing home inspection system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41409/06]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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The inspection of private nursing homes is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990. The 1990 Act provides for the registration of private nursing homes and procedures for attaching conditions to the registration and for de-registering homes. The Nursing Homes (Care and Welfare) Regulations, 1993 set out the standards which private nursing homes owners must adhere to in the provision of nursing home services.

There are currently two nursing homes in the Dublin Mid Leinster Area where HSE admissions have been suspended. The HSE continues to work with these homes to resolve outstanding issues and the standard of care for current patients is under regular review. The position currently is that the most recent report of the registration and inspection service is reviewed prior to entering any arrangements with nursing home proprietors. Where issues remain outstanding no patients will be placed in contract beds in any such nursing home.

The HSE has informed me that they are not aware of any current case in the Dublin Mid Leinster Area where there is a conflict between the recommendations of the inspection team and any other inspection process.