Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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219. To ask the Minister for Health the steps being taken in cases of non-compliance with regulations at nursing homes, as reported in a Heath Information and Quality Authority report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28156/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Under the Health Act, 2007 statutory responsibility is given to the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) for inspecting and registering nursing homes. The Health Act 2007 empowers HIQA to carry out this function through the processes of registration, continuous monitoring and inspection and, where necessary, the application of its powers of enforcement.

I welcome the publication of HIQA’s 2014 Overview Report on its regulatory programme for Designated Residential Centres for Older People and I am pleased to note that HIQA’s assessment is that most centres had an acceptable level of overall compliance with the relevant Regulations and National Standards.

I also note that the Authority has identified areas where improvement is required. HIQA has statutory independence in exercising its functions in this area, and follow-up and enforcement is therefore a matter for the Authority itself.

I welcome the recent announcement of Mr Brendan Howlin T.D., Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform that the remit of the Ombudsman will be extended to the private nursing home sector.