17Powers of inspection

17 Powers of inspection (1) The Public Advocate may enter any premises on which an institution is situated and— (a) inspect those premises; and (b) see any person who is a resident of those premises or who is receiving any service from the institution; and (c) make enquiries relating to the admission, care, detention, treatment or control of any such person; and (d) subject to subsection (2), inspect any document relating to any such person or any record required to be kept under— (i) this Act; or (ii) the **Disability Act 2006**; or (iii) the **Health Services Act 1988**; or S. 17(1)(d)(iv) amended by No. 39/2022 s. 827(1). (iv) the **Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022**; or S. 17(1)(d)(v) amended by No. 37/2021 s. 393. (v) the **Social Services Regulation Act 2021**. (2) Subsection (1)(d) does not authorise the Public Advocate to inspect— (a) a person's medical records unless the person consents; or (b) personnel records unless the person to whom the records relate consents. (3) The person in charge, and the members of staff or management, of an institution must provide the Public Advocate with any reasonable assistance that the Public Advocate requires to perform or exercise any power, function or duty under this section effectively. (4) A person in charge, or a member of the staff or management, of an institution must not unreasonably refuse or neglect to give assistance when required to do so under subsection (3). (5) A person in charge, or a member of the staff or management, of an institution must not refuse or fail to give full and true answers to the best of that person's knowledge to any questions asked by the Public Advocate in the performance or exercise of any power, function or duty under this section. (6) A person in charge, or a member of the staff or management, of an institution must not assault, obstruct or threaten the Public Advocate in the performance or exercise of any power, function or duty under this section. (7) In this section— S. 17(7) def. of *institution* amended by Nos 19/2019 s. 262, 37/2021 s. 393, 39/2022 s. 827(2), 9/2023 ss 234, 256. ***institution*** means any of the following— (a) a disability service provider, residential service or residential treatment facility, all within the meaning of the **Disability Act 2006**; (b) a designated public hospital within the meaning of the **Health Services Act 1988**; (c) a mental health and wellbeing service provider within the meaning of the **Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022**; (ca) a short-term accommodation dwelling within the meaning of section 3(1) of the **Disability Act 2006**; (cab) accommodation approved for supervised treatment under section 187 of the **Disability Act 2006**; (cb) an SDA dwelling in respect of which an SDA resident resides under an SDA residency agreement within the meaning of the **Residential Tenancies Act 1997**; (d) a supported residential service within the meaning of the **Social Services Regulation Act 2021**.