Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 196: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if he will clarify a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22798/10]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, "National Quality Standards-Residential Services for People with Disabilities" were published by the Health Information and Quality Authority in May 2009 and are under consideration by the Minister for Health and Children.

Given the current economic situation, to move to full statutory implementation of the standards, including regulation and inspection, presents significant challenges at this time. Notwithstanding this, my Department, the HSE and HIQA have agreed that progressive non-statutory implementation of the standards will now commence, and that they will become the benchmark against which the HSE assesses both its own directly operated facilities and other facilities that the HSE funds.

For example, compliance with the HIQA standards is included in the Service Level Arrangements being implemented between the HSE and service providers. As part of the ongoing review of Service Level Arrangements, service providers will now be required to demonstrate compliance with the standards through the provision of audit outcomes. I am informed by the HSE that the majority of service providers have already commenced a review of their services within the context of the HIQA standards and many service providers have also achieved external accreditation over the past number of years.