Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The programme for Government notes that the preferred choice for older people is to live at home safely and securely in the comfort of their own house, with wrap-around supports. That is not always possible. A total of 18% of the older population aged over 85 now reside in nursing homes. I was deeply concerned at the weekend to read in an article in the Sunday Independentwritten by Maeve Sheehan that up to 45 State-owned nursing homes will fail to meet a deadline to comply with standards enforced by HIQA, putting them at risk of closure and giving rise to questions about the future care of older people. I do not expect the Taoiseach to be able to answer this question now, but I ask him to raise the matter with the Minister for Health. Is he concerned that 45 State homes might not be HIQA compliant? Will adequate funding be made available to ensure they can comply?

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