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: GALRO Unlimited Company; Horizons; Kerry Parents and Friends Association; Kingsriver Community Holdings CLG; Dara Residential Services; Enable Ireland Disability Services Limited; Praxis Care; Redwood Neurobehavioural Services Unlimited Company; S O S Kilkenny CLG; St John of God Community Services CLG; and St Joseph's Foundation.

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

• Residents spoke very positively about their living arrangements and their very busy life at their home in Dublin, operated by Praxis Care. A resident spoke about playing football with a local team and their travel plans for visiting Liverpool Football Club. Staff were making travel arrangements to support this resident’s trip. The resident pointed out a number of photos on the wall, including one of their visit to Disneyland in 2025. They described taking part in different clubs and activities almost every day of the week.
• A residents’ home in Kildare operated by St John of God Community Services CLG had extensive facilities to meet their needs. One section of the centre provided tailored residential support to residents with both an intellectual disability and a diagnosis of dementia. This included a beauty salon where residents could have hair, hands, feet and aromatherapy treatments in a calm environment. Another room replicated a cinema with red velvet curtains and popcorn-making facilities and had a large projector to show films. A café was available, complete with tea and coffee making facilities for residents to enjoy meetings with visitors. Residents' bedrooms were thoughtfully decorated to reflect their unique preferences and personalities.
   

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:
 

• Poor oversight of a centre in Dublin operated by St John of God Community Services CLG undermined residents’ right to live in a safe and secure environment. Residents were impacted by ongoing safeguarding incidents, poor management of their complaints and residents’ medications. In response, the provider undertook to deliver a safeguarding workshop for senior staff, to enhance the management of complaints and ensure weekly audits of residents’ medications take place.
• Improvements were required at three centres operated by Horizons. In two centres, poor governance impacted on the provider’s response to some safeguarding concerns. In the remaining centre, the provider had not taken sufficient action to address fire evacuation measures which was a repeated finding. In response, the provider agreed to enhance protective measures and consider alternative accommodation for a resident. In addition, the provider would review and take actions on fire safety improvements by local management and a health and safety officer.
• Poor governance at a centre operated by Kingsriver Community Holdings CLG impacted on the care and support provided to residents. Staffing arrangements were insufficient to meet residents’ needs. Identification and management of potential risks for residents was not adequate and improvements were required to the premises and in fire safety measures. In addition, the provider had not completed compatibility assessments prior to new admissions or after safeguarding concerns. In response, the provider committed to a review of staffing arrangements, risk management training for senior staff, and guidance for staff on safeguarding. 
   

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.