Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Well, it was a surprise for a few of us.

I am sure the Minister was seriously alarmed by the HIQA report published on Tuesday. It gave a terrible insight into the challenges and the failures of nursing homes during the public health emergency. I understand from the media that the Covid committee will recommend a review of all deaths in nursing homes.

I read the report this morning. It is damning. In fact, it is beyond damning. One statistic, which I will not cite because it is quite a long section, is that 60% of the nursing homes that were assessed had weak governance and management during the public health emergency. The alarm bells are going off, not only for Deputies but also for the residents of those nursing homes and their loved ones. There must be an urgent review. I hope that the Minister will support this call.

I spoke a number of weeks ago about the St. Mary's Centre nursing home, also called the Telford Centre, on Merrion Road. I sent the Minister correspondence on this issue two weeks ago. It is run by the Sisters of Charity and some of its residents have been there for more than 20 years. At the end of the year, however, the facility is due to close down. That is a terrible shame. The staff are upset by the potential closure and its 35 residents are worried about the situation. Will the Minister comment on its potential closure and give a commitment that the facility will be taken over by the State and run by the HSE? It is a great facility that has existed for more than 150 years, but if it closes down, it will be closed for good. In view of the HIQA report, there has been a juxtaposition during the Covid emergency between the 80% of nursing homes that are run by for-profit companies and facilities such as St. Mary's, which will close down if the State does not intervene. The Minister needs to intervene and St. Mary's should be taken over by the HSE.

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