Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)

Cluain Arann Welfare Home provides residential services to people over 65, with a range of dependency needs. Many of these residents are capable of living independently and require minimal assistance in a home-from-home environment. The management of Cluain Arann Welfare Home consists of a director of nursing and here are 7.5 full-time posts, with all staff reporting to the director, providing 16 hours nursing care per week.

It is located in Tipperary town, on the same site as Cluain Arann community nursing unit, which shares some facilities and is integrated into the same building. While both units are managed independently, they share the entrance and reception area, a large kitchen, dining room, sitting room, physiotherapy department, sluice room, cleaning room, laundry, records room and staff facilities.

The welfare home has 35 residential beds, 19 of which are currently occupied. These are configured into 20 single bedrooms with wash-hand basins and five three-bedded rooms with shared wash-hand basins and toilet facilities. There are three bathrooms, two with showers, and one with a bath. In addition there are four separate toilet facilities for residents' use. Each room has adequate storage space with a lockable wardrobe available in all bedrooms. The goal is to maintain an independent style of living with appropriate supports provided.

As the Deputy is aware, the care and welfare regulations for designated centres for older people currently require 24 hour nursing care. The home had been inspected in September 2010 by the Health Information and Quality Authority and one of the issues highlighted was the lack of 24 hour nursing care. In this context the HSE felt that it was necessary to close the home and provide the residents with alternative appropriate residential care.

The Department has recently commenced a review of the care and welfare regulations and one of this issues being considered is the level of nursing care that would be appropriate in designated centres. In anticipation of the outcome of this review, the HSE is reconsidering the options that may become available. The HSE will engage with HIQA to see what arrangements can be put place to enable the home to meet the regulatory requirements and remain open.

Convalescent, respite, and palliative care will continue to be provided at Cluain Arann. There is a ten bed unit on the same site which, as I stated earlier, currently shares many facilities with the welfare home. I acknowledge this may have caused anxiety for residents and their families but at all times the HSE was acting to provide the most appropriate care possible for the residents.

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