Patient Safety

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 January 2026

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• Utterances having an adverse effect

Thursday, 15 January 2026

Questions (537, 538, 539, 540, 541, 542, 543, 544, 545, 546, 547, 548, 549, 550, 551, 552, 574, 575, 576, 577, 578, 579, 580, 581, 582)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

537. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that steps are being undertaken to dismantle the Office of the Confidential Recipient contrary to the delegation by the Director General to the Confidential Recipient; her concerns that under these proposed changes the Office of the Confidential Recipient will no longer be independent or confidential; if she is aware that this will significantly reduce the ability of service users and patients to report concerns confidentially to an independent body and to receive support advice and guidance; if she has given permission for this happen; if she will reverse this detrimental subsuming of the office into the internal structures of the HSE; and her views these changes are likely to endanger vulnerable adults including people with disabilities and older adults. [3061/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

538. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the Office of the Confidential Recipient continue to be independent and confidential of the HSE as per the Delegation. [3062/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

539. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if she has concerns as to the continued unfettered independence in the role and function of the Confidential Recipient as per the Delegation. [3063/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

540. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health her views on whether the importance of the Confidential Recipient role and function is respected by the HSE Senior Leadership team. [3064/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

541. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the Confidential Recipient as established under a legal delegation remains in place. [3065/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

542. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the Confidential Recipient continues to have the vital escalation pathway to the CEO for abuse cases. [3066/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

543. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the Confidential Recipient raised any concerns in relation to abuse cases where the HSE failed to reassure the Confidential Recipient that they appropriately assessed and examined reported concerns of abuse, neglect and wrongdoing submitted by the Confidential Recipient to the HSE. [3067/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

544. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the Confidential Recipient raised any concerns with her that the HSE is interfering with the independence of the office, or attempting to subsume the office into the internal structures of the HSE. [3068/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

545. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the frequency which the CEO of the HSE and the Confidential Recipient meet with one another to ensure the Office of the Confidential Recipient is being appropriately supported, that it remains a fully confidential and independent service and that its independence continues unfettered and that any presenting issues are discussed. [3069/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

546. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the Confidential Recipient raised any concerns with the CEO of the HSE as to the protection and enhancement of the independence of the office of the Confidential Recipient. [3070/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

547. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health which committee will the CR meet with annually, as the Independent Quality & Safety Committee has been disbanded under the new HSE regional health area structures, in order to submit the Confidential Recipient annual report for review and to raise any issues, themes and challenges for service users, families, staff and the public contacting the Office of the Confidential Recipient. [3071/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

548. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health in consideration of the Emily, Brandon and Grace reports, if the powers of the Confidential Recipient been strengthened to reflect the prevalent concerns in relation to the care and treatment of adults with a disability and older adults from the HSE and its funded agencies. [3072/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

549. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the Confidential Recipient's escalation pathway for abuse cases to the CEO has been strengthened. [3073/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

550. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the way in which the workings of the legal delegation, and in particular, the Independence of the Office of the Confidential Recipient, are being upheld and protected by the HSE from any interference from the HSE internal operations. [3074/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

551. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if she will strengthen the role and function of the Confidential Recipient in consideration of the National Framework For Safeguarding published on 9 of December 2025. [3075/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

552. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the reason there is no mention of the Office of the Confidential Recipient in the new framework document and therefore no reassurance of the strengthening of the role and function of the Confidential Recipient. [3076/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

574. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if she anticipates strengthening the delegation in consideration of the framework for safeguarding. [3233/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

575. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the status of the Confidential Recipient annual report, as the last report was issued in 2022. [3234/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

576. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health with the establishment of regional health areas in the HSE, if the Confidential Recipient is satisfied that the level of communication with the regional executive officers and other senior managers is providing an effective line of communication. [3235/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

577. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the six REO’s understand the independent role of the Confidential Recipient; the powers delegated to the Confidential Recipient; the independence and confidentiality of the office; and if the professional communication between the relevant parties is working effectively. [3236/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

578. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the CEO of the HSE has ensured that the Confidential Recipient has met with the six REO’s and the CEO to ensure collaborative working. [3237/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

579. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if service users can be confident that when they contact the Confidential Recipient, that the service is confidential and independent without interference or undue influence from the HSE and its internal operations. [3238/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

580. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the Confidential Recipient has a role to play in ensuring the safety and protection of vulnerable adults, where concerns are reported to the Confidential Recipient and the HSE fails to act. [3239/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

581. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if a matter (details supplied) being upheld and maintained to ensure the Confidential Recipient can carry out their duties fully in the manner intended to protect all vulnerable people. [3240/26]

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

582. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if it is easy for the Confidential Recipient to contact the CEO of the HSE where serious concerns arise and the HSE fails to act appropriately; and the procedure for doing so. [3241/26]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 537 to 552, inclusive, and 574 to 582, inclusive, together.

As the matters raised by the Deputy are operational matters, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.

A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Orders.

Question No. 538 answered with Question No. 537.

Question No. 539 answered with Question No. 537.

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