Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

166. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide an updated report on the Health Information and Quality Authority investigation into Dublin North West social services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53333/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Foster care services in the Dublin North West Area have been inspected by HIQA on three occasions since September 2009, the most recent of which took place in October 2012. The purpose of foster care inspections is to review compliance with regulations and standards for all children. Despite progress from earlier inspections, inspectors found that some deficits identified previously had not been rectified. An Action Plan to address these issues was developed by HIQA.

In February 2013, I established a National Monitoring and Oversight Group within the HSE, to include input from a National Expert on Foster Care, to oversee implementation of the Action Plan and I received quarterly updates on the progress. I received the final report from the group on 1 November 2013.

I have been advised by the HSE that they have met with HIQA on several occasions to review progress. The HSE are due to have a further meeting with HIQA at the end of January 2014 and I have requested a further update on progress from the HSE and HIQA.