Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published 33 inspection reports on designated centres for people with disabilities. 

Inspection reports have been published on centres operated by: Dundas Unlimited Company; Embrace Community Services Ltd; Enable Ireland Disability Services Limited; GALRO Unlimited Company; Health Service Executive (HSE); Inspire Wellbeing CLG; KARE, Promoting Inclusion for People with Intellectual Disabilities; Kerry Parents and Friends Association; Kingsriver Community Holdings CLG; Lumen Healthcare Limited; The Cheshire Foundation in Ireland; The National Association for the Deaf T/A Chime - The National Charity for Deafness and Hearing Loss; and Zamab Care LTD.

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

• At a HSE-operated centre in Monaghan, interactions between staff and residents were observed to be thoughtful and engaging and staff were very familiar with each resident’s communication style and preferences. One resident was supported by a preferred staff member who knew the resident well and the resident spoke with family members before breakfast. It was clear that this was of great importance to them and  was encouraged and supported by the staff team.
• Feedback from family members was overwhelmingly positive about the service that young people were receiving at a centre in Tipperary operated by Enable Ireland Disability Services Limited. They described the service as ''fantastic'', ''brilliant'', ''lifesaving'' and ''great'' and several family representatives were very complimentary of the staff team. All family representatives said that they spoke to the person in charge on a regular basis and that they were very accommodating in terms of specific requests for respite stays.

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:

• Following an initial inspection in February 2026, the Chief Inspector of Social Services held a cautionary meeting with Zamab Care Ltd due to significant concerns over the quality and safety of care provided for young residents. Three immediate actions were issued to the provider during a follow-up inspection in April 2026, and HIQA notified both the HSE and the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) of their concerns after the inspection. Poor storage of food and the cleanliness of the centre posed immediate risks to residents. Ineffective fire safety systems  posed significant risks to residents in the event of a fire. The provider remains subject to regulatory oversight by the Chief Inspector.
• Improvements were required in several areas at a centre operated by Embrace Community Services Ltd. An urgent action was issued to the provider to address fire safety measures and immediate action was required relating to residents’ access to items which could pose a risk. In response, the provider put measures in place to address these concerns.
• An urgent action was issued to The Cheshire Foundation in Ireland to address ongoing fire safety risks which the provider had not adequately addressed following previous inspections. Residents’ call bells were not working effectively which left residents vulnerable and at risk. While questionnaires completed by residents showed they were happy living in the centre, some highlighted issues over staffing and the premises. In response, the provider outlined new staff recruitment and fire safety measures, and how a new call bell system had been installed. 
   

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.