Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government commits to "Introduce a statutory scheme to support people to live in their own homes, which will provide equitable access to high quality, regulated home care".

In 2024, the Department of Health is focused on continuing the development of a regulatory framework for providers of home support services which aims to ensure that service users are provided with regulated care. Work is ongoing within the Department across four broad areas to progress this commitment: Regulation of home support providers; working with the HSE to develop a reformed model of service delivery for home support; the examination of future funding options for home-support services; Implementation of the recommendations of the Strategic Workforce Advisory Group.

(i) Regulation of home-support providers

Development of a General Scheme to regulate home support services is now at an advanced stage following ongoing engagement with key stakeholders. The primary legislation will provide for the licensing of home support providers. Drafting of the primary legislation has been added to the priority list for the Spring Legislative session and the General Scheme is expected to be published this quarter.

The Health (Amendment) (Licensing of Professional Home Support Providers) Bill is expected to be enacted in 2024 and will establish a licensing system for providers of home support services (public, private and not-for-profit). The regulations will set out the minimum requirements that a home support provider must meet to obtain a license and will confer on the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), the authority to grant, amend and ultimately revoke a license if home support providers fail to meet minimum requirements set out in regulations and quality standards.

Transitional timelines are currently being finalised for the registration of home support providers under this framework. Additionally, HIQA is currently developing standards for home support providers which are planned to go out for public consultation in 2024.