John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 261: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the plans in place to introduce legislation governing the regulation of private plastic surgery clinics here; the regulations that exist currently for persons who operate this profession here; the ISO standard requirements for cosmetic surgery facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14509/08]

John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 262: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the plans in place to ensure patient welfare and safety with respect to new entrants into the private cosmetic surgery industry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14510/08]

John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 263: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the role the Health Information and Quality Authority will play in the assessment and regulation of private cosmetic surgery clinics; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14511/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 261 to 263, inclusive, together.

Under the Medical Practitioners Act 1978, the Medical Council is charged with responsibility for the registration of medical practitioners and the regulation of their activities. The Medical Practitioners Act 2007 provides for a clear compulsory requirement for registration of all medical practitioners, changes to the Fitness to Practise process and the introduction of a mandatory scheme for the maintenance of professional competence. These and other new provisions of the Act will afford greater protection to the public. There is, however, currently no regulatory framework governing the operation of private cosmetic surgery clinics beyond the registration and regulation of the medical practitioners concerned.

A core function of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is to set standards on safety and quality of health services and to monitor enforcement of those standards in an open and transparent way. The Health Act 2007 currently gives HIQA strong powers in this area in relation to services provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and bodies funded by the HSE to provide services on their behalf. The process by which such a regulatory regime is introduced first in the public sector is a feature of similar developments in other jurisdictions. The extension of this type of monitoring and control to the private sector would involve further legislation of a complex nature.

However, the Commission on Patient Safety and Quality Assurance was established last year to develop proposals for a health service wide system of governance based on corporate accountability for the quality and safety of all health services. One of its terms of reference is to specifically examine and make recommendations in relation to a statutory system of licensing for public and private health care providers and services. I understand that the Irish Association of Plastic Surgeons made a submission to the Commission. The Commission is due to report by July this year.