Ministers yesterday agreed to publish the Health (Amendment) (Home Support Providers) Bill 2025, which proposes significant amendments to the Health Act 2007.

The bill provides for a registration framework for home support providers, while making it an offence to operate a home support service without a registration, and incorporating transitional arrangements for existing home support providers.

Home support providers will be required to adhere to a registration framework supported by national quality standards developed by HIQA, and meet minimum requirements set out under ministerial regulations.

The government says this will act to safeguard service users, raise the quality and consistency of care nationally and represents tangible progress in meeting the programme for government commitment of a statutory homecare scheme.

Health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said: “In a first for Ireland, this bill will introduce the registration and regulation of professional home support services by HIQA and the chief inspector of social services.

“Regulation is fundamental to ensuring that all service users are provided with high quality care with the same minimum standards wherever and however it is provided, in line with best international practice.

“Amongst other measures, it will provide the chief inspector with a range of powers and will make it an offence to provide a home support service without being registered.

“The chief inspector will also be responsible for monitoring and assessing compliance of registered home support providers against regulations and HIQA standards.”

Kieran O’Donnell, minister of state for older people and housing, added: “Home support is a vital service that is delivered to many people across the country every day, by public, private and voluntary providers. It is essential that it is properly regulated nationwide.

“The introduction of this bill demonstrates the progress that we are making in reforming home support and is an integral step in delivering on the programme for government commitment to design a statutory homecare scheme to allow people to stay in their home for as long as possible.

“This regulatory framework and inspection process will ensure that the public can be confident that the home support services provided are of a high quality and standard.”