Health (Amendment) (Home Support Providers) Bill 2025: Committee and Remaining Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2026-06-23
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Kieran O'Donnell (FG), Limerick City

I thank the Acting Chair and the House for their time today to discuss this Bill. We had a constructive discussion in the Seanad on Second Stage. This Bill is an amendment to the Health Act 2007. As I said previously, for the first time, the Bill will introduce regulation of home support providers, who will be regulated by HIQA and the chief inspector. The Bill will give the chief inspector a range of powers and will make it an offence to provide a home support service without being registered. The chief inspector will be responsible for monitoring and assessing compliance of registered home support providers. The new system of regulation for home support will ensure the public can be confident that the services provided are of a high standard and will bring Ireland in line with best international practice.
The Bill was published in December of last year and passed by the Dáil on 20 May. It went through Second Stage in the Seanad on 16 June. I thank all the Seanadóirí for the constructive debate on the Bill on Second Stage. The context is that, as well as regulating home support providers for the first time, the Bill is a key, integral first step in the development of a statutory home care scheme that has been provided for in the programme for Government. I look forward to a constructive debate with Members on the proposed amendments to the Bill and am looking to progress the legislation.
I thank the Acting Chair for his indulgence. I am here with officials. I acknowledge the great work they have done. It is an indication of the seriousness with which we take this legislation and how important it is.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-06-23/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:05+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-23