3771. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if the Health Information & Quality Authority reviewed the evidence regarding the operation of a nursing home group (details supplied) in France before deciding on registering any of their nursing homes in Ireland; and, if so, if they decided on any special oversight measures as a condition of registration or reregistration of nursing homes linked to the group. [57633/26]

The Chief Inspector of Social Services and the Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA) is the national independent regulator of designed centres for older people including public community nursing units and private nursing homes.

Department officials directed this query to HIQA who have advised the following;

“The Health Act 2007, as amended, sets out the legislative framework available to the Chief Inspector when making a decision on an application to register or renew the registration of a designated centre for older people. Specifically, section 50 states that:

Where an application is made under section 48 for the registration or renewal of the registration of a designated centre, the chief inspector, if satisfied that the person who is the registered provider, or intended registered provider, and each other person who will participate in the management of the designated centre—shall grant the application and if not so satisfied shall refuse it.

is a fit person to be the registered provider of the designated centre and to participate in its management, and

if the application is for registration, will comply with, or, if for renewal, is in compliance with—

standards set by the Authority under section 8 (1)(b),

regulations under section 101, and

any other enactment which appears to the chief inspector to be relevant, and is cited to the applicant in writing by the chief inspector.

The chief inspector in granting an application under this section may—

attach to the registration conditions that the chief inspector thinks fit in relation to the designated centre concerned, and

attach different conditions in relation to the registration of different designated centres or of different categories of designated centres.

The nursing home group referenced originated in France and entered the Irish market in 2020. The designated centres within this group are operated by individual registered provider companies who are the legal entities responsible for the operation of the designated centres (nursing homes). These companies are separate legal entities, and as such the Chief Inspector must assess the fitness of each of these companies in their own right. The Chief Inspector does not have the authority to assess the fitness of any entity other than an intended provider or a registered provider of a designated centre.”