Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 January 2026
2289. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Health for a comprehensive list or categorisation of residential care services that are known or believed to be operating without the necessary registration as a ‘designated centre’ under the Health Act 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [74943/25]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2007 (as amended) the Health Information & Quality Authority is responsible for registering, inspecting, and monitoring these centres to ensure safe, high-quality care, promoting residents' rights, and driving continuous improvement by enforcing regulations and standards. Inspections of designated centres ensure that services meet the requirements set out by the Health Act 2007, regulations and national standards in order to be registered to operate.
HIQA has advised my Department that it is not aware of any services believed to be operating without the necessary registration as a ‘designated centre’ under the Health Act 2007. Designated centres which meet the definition of designated centre set out in the Health Act 2007, as amended, are registered by the Chief Inspector in line with the Health Act 2007, as amended.
Children in care who are placed in residential care may be placed in children’s residential care centres (CRCs) operated by Tusla (statutory CRCs) or CRCs run by the non-statutory or voluntary sector. Currently, there are two separate mechanisms in place to monitor these units – Tusla registers and monitors those run by the voluntary and non-statutory sector, while HIQA monitors those run by Tusla itself.
The Child and Family Agency (Tusla) also places children in special emergency arrangements – these can be rented premises, ‘Airbnb’ or hotels staffed by agency or Tusla employees by utilising Section 36 of the Child Care Act 1991. These arrangements are not regulated and do not come under the remit of the Chief Inspector or the Health Information and Quality Authority.
