Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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144. To ask the Minister for Health his views on a plan for extending the Health Information and Quality Authority regulation to other health and social care sectors, commencing in 2015 with private healthcare providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4152/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Government for National Recovery, 2011-2016 commits to developing and implementing national standards for home support services which will be subject to HIQA inspection. Primary legislation and resources will be required for the introduction of a statutory regulation system for home care services. This will be considered by Government on a prioritised and phased basis as resources, legislative and planning processes allow.

Minister Varadkar and I have recently published our Health Priorities for the development of health services and policy in 2015, one of which is to agree a plan for extending HIQA regulation to other health and social care sectors, commencing with private healthcare providers.

In the meantime the HSE is progressing a range of measures to improve Home Care provision overall, to standardise services nationally and to promote quality and safety.