Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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579. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a nursing home (details supplied) has received three poor inspection reports in a row; the reason the Chief Officer of HIQA has not used their powers under section 59.1(iii) of the Health Act 2007 ; and the reason they have not requested a court order to enforce improvements needed at this home. [44640/21]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Chief Inspector of Social Services in the Health Information and Quality Authority, (HIQA), is the statutory independent regulator in place for the nursing home sector, whether a HSE managed or a private nursing home. The Chief Inspector, established under the Health Act 2007, has significant and wide-ranging powers up to and including withdrawing the registration of a nursing home facility, which means that it can no longer operate as a service provider.

As the independent regulator of nursing homes, the Chief Inspector determines the appropriate and proportionate approach and interventions required to monitor and ensure compliance with the regulatory framework. The Chief Inspector adopts a risk-based approach to regulation, prioritising monitoring, inspection and enforcement, based on the assessment of the risk, including the type of enforcement action to be taken.

I understand that the Chief Inspector is aware of instances of regulatory non-compliance at the designated centre in question and has taken action, which is reflected in the inspection reports relating to this facility.

In responding to concerns or high levels of non-compliance at any centre, the Chief Inspector has a range of regulatory actions available to her, and I understand that she has taken various regulatory actions in relation to the designated centre in question.

On a case-by-case basis, in each case a decision is made by the Inspectorate about the most effective course of action depending on the situation.The Chief Inspector has noted that she will continue to monitor this centre and will take further regulatory action if required.