Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 December 2023
781. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if there was ever a proposal for a nursing home at a location (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he can confirm reports that HIQA advised against it. [54707/23]
View answerThe Health Information and Quality Authority, (HIQA) was established under the Health Act 2007. HIQA is the independent Authority established to drive continuous improvement in Ireland’s health and social care services.
The Health Act 2007 also established the office of the Chief Inspector of Social Services in HIQA. The functions of the Chief Inspector are to:
1. establish and maintain registers of designated centres (including nursing homes);
2. register and inspect designated centres to assess whether the provider is in compliance with the regulations and standards.
Under the Act any person carrying on the business of a residential service within a designated centre (i.e. a nursing home) can only do so if the centre is registered under the Act and the person is its registered provider.
HIQA has advised my Department that it has not received information about a new nursing home at the venue referred to by the Deputy and has not offered any advice against it.
