Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

This is a timely and sensitive motion. The programme on RTÉ shocked everybody. Many people knew of the many changes in nursing care and the methods of care in our nursing homes. I salute the many hundreds of small nursing homes and some quite big ones in Tipperary, in particular St. Martha’s and Bramleigh Lodge in Cashel and the many others I could name. They do an excellent job but they are under fierce pressure. There is discrimination against them.

The HSE-owned nursing homes have bigger subventions than the small private nursing homes. We have commodified healthcare and nursing care. I have seen that with my own two eyes. We were waiting on a 60-bed HSE nursing unit in Cashel at St. Patrick’s Hospital. Former Deputy, Martin Browne, and I were told at a meeting a year and a half ago that site was not suitable. I do not know why it took so long to come up with that. We are now looking for another site for a 60-bed unit. We should look at the pressure that would take off nursing homes and people who need nursing care. I salute the nurses, attendants and management of community and small family-run nursing homes and some of the bigger ones as well. I visit them quite often and the standard of care is very good. Where there is wrongdoing and abuse taking place not only the management but the persons perpetrating it should be prosecuted. It is elder abuse of the worst kind.

Tipperary used to have Tipperary District Hospital and St. Brigid's in Carrick-on-Suir until two years ago when it was unceremoniously closed. It was taken over during Covid mar dhea before it was closed down. It had 15 beds and three lovely hospice suites. It was a very functional and practical place and should be reopened. The people of south-east Tipperary, east Waterford and south Kilkenny all used it. It had excellent management and staff. As for St. Theresa’s in Clogheen, I cannot say enough about it. It was a district hospital and has been expanded and upgraded. It has two fabulous hospice suites where many people go at the end of life and have dignity. Families are also looked after there. It is under the care of matron Anne Walsh, director and manager, and the excellent staff. I have many friends and relations, including my own mother, who were there. They got the best of care and treatment. That model works rather than the model of allowing big conglomerates to expand and expand at the expense of others.

A lot of blame rests with HIQA as well. I remember a lovely nursing home in Carrick-on-Suir when I came in here first in 2007. It was a flat building with no steps. The owner-manager did her best but HIQA was down on her like a tonne of bricks even though another nursing home was built in the same town and was never visited. I heard reports again this morning that HIQA is saying it does not have the power to deal with bigger companies and conglomerates. It must have the power to do so. It is the same care and people need to be looked after. What did it do to that woman? It kept criticising this, that and the other and began restricting the number of beds. It eventually closed six beds. When she needed to get a loan from the bank to upgrade the nursing home to what HIQA wanted, the books did not add up because of the closures. HIQA closed the nursing home by stealth. It forced her to close. Lo and behold one day two inspectors took a tour and had dinner to taste the food and said the food was quite bland.

I do not know what they expected. Was it the Gresham Hotel they were going to or some place? The food was excellent, but that nursing home is no longer in business. It was unceremoniously closed down by HIQA, which was an utter disgrace. I raised it in this House at the time. Now HIQA seems not to be able to touch these big sacred cows. We are told it does not have the power. If it has the power to do it with a small nursing home, why should it not have the same power for these? We are talking about human beings; individuals who are not able to be at home, where they would prefer to be, and who need care. We are all facing that.

I remember when my kids were small, buying a sticker for the rear window of my car that said "Be nice to your children. They pick your nursing home". That sticker was there for many people. Unfortunately, there is not much choice nowadays, but speaking for myself, I am heading to that period of life. It is sad we have commodified this to such an extent. As I said, we are talking about people, human beings. Our parents, grandparents, friends and neighbours deserve respect. HIQA is not fit for purpose. It should be disbanded, but above all it should be made to account for why it can close small nursing homes while allowing the conglomerates to do what they like.

See this speech in context