Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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661. To ask the Minister for Health further to the Parliamentary Question No. 626 of 17 December 2013, and in the context of the planned changes to the Irish Health Service, if consideration will be given to empowering Health Information and Quality Authority to monitor and inspect standards in private hospitals as well as public hospitals, in view of the proposed introduction of a health insurance system in which the services provided by private hospitals will undoubtedly expand [2934/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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My Department is currently working on the Licensing of Health Facilities Bill which will provide for a mandatory system of licensing for public and private health service providers. The legislative proposals are being prepared broadly in line with recommendations made in the Report of the Commission on Patient Safety and Quality Assurance and are designed to improve patient safety by ensuring that health care providers do not operate below core standards which are applied in a consistent and systematic way. Standards and other requirements will be enforceable through inspection and imposition of sanctions as necessary. Licensing will be targeted at areas which are not currently subject to regulation. The legislative proposals are being progressed in the Department and, once finalised, will be submitted to me in advance of seeking Government approval to publish the Heads of a Bill.