Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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417. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total number of inspection reports, compliance notifications, and regulatory breach findings relating to private subcontracted disability service providers that her Department has received from HIQA in each of the past five years; and the categories of breaches notified to the Department during that period. [68897/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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418. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of cases in the past five years where her Department directed remedial actions, imposed additional conditions, or required enhanced governance measures in relation to private subcontracted disability service providers following HIQA inspections, and to specify the type of remedial actions directed. [68898/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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419. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her Department’s internal process for reviewing HIQA inspection reports relating to private subcontracted disability service providers, including the tracking of compliance deadlines, escalation procedures for repeated breaches, and the number of cases escalated to senior management or to the Minister in each of the past five years. [68899/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 417, 418 and 419 together.

The Health and Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is an independent statutory authority under the aegis of the Department of Health, which was established to drive continuous improvement in Ireland’s health and personal social care services, to monitor the quality of these services and promote person-centred care for the benefit of the public.

The Health Act 2007 provided for the establishment of HIQA, its inspection and regulation of designated centres and the framework for registration of these designated centres. Since November 2013, all designated centres for people with disabilities, both children and adults, must be registered with HIQA.

The Health Act 2007 (amended) and the associated regulations set out the framework for the regulation of designated centres for people with disabilities and include the requirements that providers must meet in order to ensure safe, good quality care and support to people with disabilities who live under their care.

While reporting to the Minister for Health with adherence to the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies 2016, HIQA engages with the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality on matters relating to disability services.

There is ongoing, regular engagement as required between HIQA and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality on a range of matters related to the provision of high-quality and safe care within designated centres for people with disabilities services in Ireland, including the notification of Inspection reports by HIQA to officials within the Department.

HIQA engages directly with service providers to ensure compliance with the regulatory framework for designated centres for people with disabilities services, taking a graduated and proportionate response to areas requiring improvement. The Health Act 2007 (as amended) empowers the Chief Inspector, a statutory officer within the Authority, to carry out this function through the processes of registration, continual monitoring and inspection and, where necessary, the application of its powers of enforcement. HIQA carries out inspections to assess compliance with the Health Act 2007 (as amended), and relevant regulations.

Where HIQA finds that the quality of support is insufficient or inadequate, the inspection and monitoring of centres by inspectors ensures that providers are required to take action to rectify issues in relation to the safety and quality of life for people with disabilities in order to bring the centre back into compliance, within an agreed timeframe.

HIQA’s mandate extends across a specific range of public, private and voluntary sector services. It is important to note that all providers of designated centres, whether they are a public or private provider, or a voluntary body must meet the requirements of the Health Act 2007 (as amended).

In addition to monitoring the progress of registered providers’ compliance plans as required, HIQA holds powers of enforcement under Section 64 of the Health Act 2007, which enables it to cancel the registration of a designated centre to operate as a service provider, where it has significant concerns about the quality of governance and oversight in the services concerned. Such centres may then be taken over by the HSE as a provider of last resort and a list of same can be found on HIQA’s Section 64 register, at www.hiqa.ie/areas-we-work/disability-services.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) directly provides and commissions a range of services for people with disabilities, including residential and respite services. Where areas of non-compliance are identified within designated centres, the HSE works closely with the service to monitor the implementation of the Compliance Improvement Plan through the HSE Governance process.

When engaging with any ‘For Profit’ agency, the HSE reviews the capacity and capability of that company to provide the services which are outlined within a Service Arrangement and reviews its relationship with each agency through regular service review meetings and submission of relevant documentation.

The purpose of regulation for designated centres is to safeguard people who are receiving residential services. Regulation provides assurance to the public that people living in designated centres are receiving services and supports that meet the requirements of National Standards, which are underpinned by regulations.

Please see below the number of inspections carried out in designated centres for people with disabilities, over the last 5 years:

Over the past number of years, HIQA has noted that they have seen an increase in compliance levels, particularly in 2024, where it found that providers have strengthened their governance and management arrangements. This in turn, has had a positive impact on all other regulations assessed.

HIQA inspection reports are published and publicly available for examination on the HIQA website, www.hiqa.ie.

Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)
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420. To ask the Minister for Health the number of speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, both adult and paediatric, working in Ballyboden Primary Care Centre in each of the past three years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68614/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.