Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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1007. To ask the Minister for Health if she aware of an ICT regulatory management system, described as DER, being developed by HIQA since 2023, and any problems arising with the project in terms of delays, overspend, failure or need for legal recourse (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17445/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Minister is aware that Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is progressing the Digitally Enabled Regulator (DER) project, which will replace it's legacy regulatory ICT system.

For HIQA to meet its legislative commitments and achieve the ambitious goals and objectives set out in the organisation’s corporate plan and to address operational, cyber security and performance issues; a functioning, fit for purpose regulation management system is a fundamental requirement.

The new Integrated Regulatory System will allow HIQA to meet its current and future known commencements and regulatory requirements and will bring a digital-first process driven approach to regulation activity resulting is higher levels of automation, a digital first (paper by exception) approach and the implementation of a modern user-centric portal that will empower providers and enable a self-service, self-administer and self-support model – reducing the administrative burden on both Providers and HIQA.

HIQA have advised the project is progressing with much of the system having been built to date and they are working to begin to bring the system into use on a phased basis over the coming months. While the project is running behind the originally planned scheduled timelines, HIQA have advised this is a fixed-cost project and spending remains within budget. As would be expected with a project of this scale and magnitude, HIQA has engaged specialist expertise, including legal expertise to ensure a contractual framework and capability is in place which underpins and supports the parameters and deliverables of the project.

HIQA have advised that in the event that commercially-sensitive information is included in HIQA Board minutes, from time to time there may be a requirement to redact that information from published minutes. In this instance, the redacted details were of a commercially-sensitive nature, and were therefore redacted in accordance with HIQA’s standard processes.