Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)

I thank Deputy Kelly. I know of his keen and genuine interest in this particular subject. I will deal with the questions he actually raises. I have an answer there for him. I am going straight to the capital programme. As part of this capital programme, older persons' services in north Tipperary are being enhanced by the opening of a new state-of-the-art 50-bed community nursing unit in Nenagh to replace St. Conlon’s Community Nursing Unit. As the Deputy said, there was a €24 million investment. The new Nenagh community nursing unit will provide a high-quality living environment which will be in line with all regulatory requirements.

On the issues the Deputy particularly raises, as he is aware the HSE has vacant possession now of the new nursing home. It has applied to HIQA for registration as a designated facility for older people. HIQA is currently assessing the application. It would be expected that will be processed quickly. As part of the process, which I want to work with, the first element is that the residents who are currently in St. Conlon's will be moved to the new nursing home. They will be facilitated in this regard once HIQA has done the inspection and obviously issued the licence to operate as a nursing home. These people will then be able to pick the rooms they wish to pick. They will have first choice from what is there, which is only appropriate. The staff who are currently in St. Conlon's will move over with the residents to the new nursing home. I am advised by the HSE that it has the requisite staff and will have the requisite staff to scale up to the full complement of 50 residents in the nursing home.

The process at the moment is the HSE has taken vacant possession of the new nursing home, it has applied to HIQA in the past week for a licence and HIQA is currently assessing the application. Once HIQA grants the application - I hope that will be relatively soon but obviously the Deputy will appreciate it is independent in the way it assesses applications - then the residents currently in St. Conlon's will move to the nursing home along with the staff. Then the HSE will proceed to scale up to the 50 beds. It advises me it has the requisite staff to ensure that can happen. I hope that will happen relatively quickly.

As Deputy Kelly mentioned, to alleviate the significant pressures at UHL the decision was taken to use the new Nenagh community nursing home building on an interim basis as a step-down sub-acute and rehabilitation facility for UHL, run by a private provider with expertise in such services. The Deputy will appreciate one of the reasons was to dovetail that with the opening of the new 96-bed unit. That will happen relatively quickly, so the intention is the new 50-bed nursing home will be up and running relatively soon after HIQA has granted the registration. The first step will be to get the existing residents in St. Conlon's over and then to scale it up to 50 beds. The HSE has the requisite staff in place to do that. The HSE is advising me of that.

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