Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his constant advocacy for older people and especially appropriate nursing home care. There has been ongoing regulatory engagement between HIQA and Aperee, including provider meetings and cautionary and warning meetings. Unfortunately, two nursing homes have closed to date. One is in Ballygunner in Waterford and the other near Kinsale in Cork. As of Friday week last, the HSE has taken over the running of Aperee Living in Callan, County Kilkenny, and it will continue to run it as a going concern at the moment.

I thank Sage for all its advocacy. I looked at the Red C poll it commissioned and just this morning, we had a Labour Party motion on home care. The situation has raised the fact that much of the care being provided is being outsourced to private providers but we also have some fantastic voluntary groups that provide care.

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