A Portlaoise nursing home managed by Emeis Ireland violated a ban on admissions that had been imposed by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) earlier this year, according to findings by RTÉ Investigates, reports RTE.
HIQA confirmed this morning that, after a February inspection of The Residence Portlaoise, it moved to halt new admissions to the facility.
The nursing home was informed of the decision in February, a formal notice followed in March, and the restriction officially began on 22 April, reports RTE.
Nevertheless, the facility continued admitting residents after this date, thereby breaching the imposed measure.
Reports indicate that a number of residents were admitted in late April, including after the 22nd, during a time when an undercover RTÉ Investigates healthcare assistant was employed at the home.
RTÉ Investigates has reached out to Emeis Ireland for comment, but the company has not yet issued a response, reports RTE.
Meanwhile, HIQA has announced a comprehensive review of every nursing home under the Emeis Ireland brand.
The RTÉ Investigates programme has revealed several instances of neglect and poor care involving elderly residents at The Residence Portlaoise and Beneavin Manor in Glasnevin, north Dublin—both facilities managed by Emeis Ireland, reports RTE.
HIQA issued a statement describing the conduct highlighted in the programme as “wholly unacceptable and shocking”.
The authority confirmed that its “Chief Inspector is taking escalated regulatory action in the nursing homes identified,” adding that it “will take any necessary additional actions with the provider to ensure safe and effective care and support to all residents”, reports RTE.
At the request of Minister of State for Older People Kieran O’Donnell, HIQA said it had started a review of all Emeis Ireland-operated nursing homes.
The statement also said: “While these processes are ongoing and so as not to prejudice the outcome of this work, we cannot comment further until this work is concluded,” reports RTE.
Elsewhere, a former general secretary of the INMO expressed feelings of shame, anger, frustration, and sadness while watching the RTÉ Investigates report on care in the two nursing homes.
“Looking at people who have served this country, have worked for this country, and have shown fortitude much more than the modern generation, and that’s how we treat them. Shame, shame on all of us,” said Liam Doran, reports RTE.
Speaking to RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne, Mr Doran criticised Ireland’s over-reliance on the private sector for elder care, where profit is the main motive.
He said he doubted the Minister O’Donnell’s assertion that 87% of nursing homes are fully compliant with standards.
Doran argued that the focus should shift from claims of high compliance to implementing legislation to properly protect elderly residents, reports RTE.
“And I would say back to the minister, gently but forcibly, compliant with what minister? What exactly do we have in place, underpinned by legislation, with regard to the care of older people that ensures that care is being met?”
He warned that without firm legislation, similar abuses will reoccur, just like those seen two decades ago at Leas Cross, reports RTE.
Mr Doran added that HIQA can only warn providers, saying, “it cannot bite”, as the State is the last-resort provider and has never shown intent to lead in this area.
During 2024, HIQA conducted 840 inspections of nursing homes, with 84% of those being “unannounced”, reports RTE.
HIQA noted that while most facilities are inspected once or twice annually, it conducts more frequent visits where there are concerns or repeated regulatory breaches.
In 2024 alone, 36 nursing homes received three or more inspections due to ongoing non-compliance.
“The nursing homes featured in this programme were subject to a number of additional inspections in an effort to bring them into compliance,” HIQA stated, reports RTE.
HIQA acknowledged that while most nursing homes offer good care, “a small number… struggle to maintain compliance with the regulations”.
The authority explained that persistent non-compliance or any risk to resident safety allows the Chief Inspector to enforce a range of actions, reports RTE.
These may include a pause on new admissions “until improvements are made” or, in some cases, complete deregistration of the facility.
HIQA noted that removing a centre’s registration is distressing for residents and families, as these facilities are their homes.
In 2024, the authority either cancelled or declined to renew registrations for ten nursing homes, reports RTE.
Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said the Government intends to introduce a policy on adult safeguarding and will soon publish a relevant bill.
Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, he stated that the programme would accelerate progress but pointed out that legislation already exists to address many of the issues raised, reports RTE.
The minister expressed confidence in HIQA and acknowledged that while non-compliance cases will happen, HIQA ensures they don’t become the norm.
Minister for Older People Kieran O’Donnell said he met with HIQA to address the matters raised in the RTÉ Investigates documentary, reports RTE.
During an interview on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr O’Donnell said he expects the Chief Inspector to use all available tools to rectify the situation.
“What we saw last night was a wake up call for everyone,” he said, stressing the need for safe environments for elderly citizens, reports RTE.
He also requested that HIQA speed up its inspection processes and intensify its focus on the two highlighted facilities.
The minister said HIQA informed him that it has both sufficient resources and legal authority.
He reiterated that 87% of nursing homes assessed by HIQA are compliant and offer high-quality care, reports RTE.
Mr O’Donnell confirmed there is a pledge in the Programme for Government to create a national adult safeguarding policy and he hopes it will reach Cabinet before the summer recess.
SIPTU officials are demanding immediate Government intervention to enforce safe staffing levels within the private nursing home sector.
Liz Cloherty, a SIPTU sector organiser, said: “The devastating reality is that the Government has effectively outsourced the care of our elderly to a for-profit sector primarily concerned with the bottom line for years and we are seeing the fruits of that now before our very eyes. We have written to Minister of State for Older People, Kieran O’Donnell TD seeking an urgent meeting to deal with issues arising from these revelations. Most damning was seeing how chronic understaffing and a lack of regulation, directly caused by poverty wages in the sector has shattered the morale of care workers while compromising patient safety. It has to stop,” added Ms Cloherty, reports RTE.
The Chair of Safeguarding Ireland said she was shocked, upset, and angry over what was broadcast in the programme.
Patricia Rickard-Clark said HIQA’s four-month delay in responding to concerns raised by nurse Clare Doyle was inexcusable.
Ms Rickard-Clark stressed that “even if there is one person being abused that is a serious incident that should be followed up immediately”, reports RTE.
Despite the Leas Cross scandal in Swords, Dublin, two decades ago, she said the situation has deteriorated rather than improved.
That 2005 Prime Time investigation exposed poor living standards at the facility, reports RTE.
She stated that although she was aware of ongoing abuse, she was disheartened to see that the same problems persist in 2025.
She urged the Government to establish a task force led by a senior civil servant to implement the Law Reform Commission’s April 2024 recommendations outlining legal and policy reforms, reports RTE.
This move would help establish a robust legal foundation, she said.
“At the moment, we’re working to a HSE limited policy, which is run by the HSE by safeguarding and protection teams, but it is very limited to limited healthcare issues,” she said, reports RTE.
“There are much wider issues in safeguarding,” reports RTE.
Ms Rickard-Clark said HIQA still has questions to answer.
However, she clarified that while HIQA investigates systemic problems, it is not responsible for dealing with specific complaints or concerns, reports RTE.
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