Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published 28 inspection reports on designated centres for people with disabilities. 

Inspection reports have been published on centres operated by: Camphill Communities of Ireland; Carriglea Cáirde Services; Clann Mór Residential and Respite CLG; Embrace Community Services Ltd; Enable Ireland Disability Services Limited; GALRO Unlimited Company Gheel Autism Services CLG; Horizons; Lightsky Ireland; Kerry Parents and Friends Association; Kerry Senior Care Ltd t/a T1 Healthcare; Lotus Care Limited; Peter Bradley Foundation CLG; Redwood Neurobehavioural Services Unlimited Company; Resilience Healthcare Limited; St Christopher's Services CLG; St Hilda's Services; St John of God Community Services CLG; and Saint Patrick's Centre (Kilkenny)/trading as Aurora-Enriching Lives, Enriching Communities.

Inspectors found good practice in many of the centres inspected, including:

• At a centre in Dublin operated by Peter Bradley Foundation CLG, residents directed how they spent their days and activities. For example, residents did the grocery shopping for the centre themselves with each resident shopping for their items. Residents were given a budget by the provider each week to purchase their groceries. One resident often prepared meals from their own cultural background and took great joy in introducing these foods to the staff and residents.
• In Co. Kerry, the provider Kerry Senior Care Ltd t/a T1 Healthcare had ensured that residents were supported to access opportunities for education, training and employment. One resident had graduated from college in 2025 and had returned to third level education where they were completing another college course. As part of their course, the resident attended a placement in a local garage. Staff noted that the resident was very proud to work there and be paid for their work placement. The resident told the inspector that they were saving their money to complete driving lessons. Staff were supporting the resident to find a driving instructor as part of the personal planning process in the centre.

Some centres were required to make improvements to enable the best possible outcomes for residents. Providers of these centres submitted compliance plans outlining the changes they will make following the inspection. These included:

• An urgent action was issued to Lightsky Ireland to review incidents which posed a risk to a resident’s safety. The provider gave assurances that these risks would be addressed. However, the provider had not taken immediate action to address concerns over fire safety measures.
• The provider Lotus Care Limited had not responded appropriately to a young resident’s concerns about their wellbeing and rights. In addition, residents were not adequately consulted about changes to their home. However, inspectors found that the young people living in the centre had opportunities to engage in a wide range of activities.
• Following a previous inspection, improvements were underway to improve residents’ access to their finances at a centre operated by Saint Patrick's Centre (Kilkenny)/trading as Aurora-Enriching Lives, Enriching Communities. However, some records of spending by residents were not accurately recorded and residents could only access their funds during office hours during the week.

Editor’s notes:

• HIQA inspects against the Health Act 2007 (Care and Support of Residents in Designated Centres for Persons (Children and Adults) with Disabilities) Regulations 2013 and the National Standards for Residential Services for Children and Adults with Disabilities, which apply to residential services for people with disabilities in Ireland.