Sinn Féin TD for Sligo Leitrim calls on government to take urgent action to halt nursing home closures

Sinn Féin TD for Sligo Leitrim Martin Kenny has called on the government to listen to older people across the area, and take urgent action to halt nursing home closures, including building public capacity. 

Ahead of a Sinn Féin motion to be debated in the Dáil this evening, Deputy Kenny urged fellow Sligo Leitrim TDs to take the opportunity to stand up for older people and their families in their constituency

Speaking today, Teachta Kenny said, “There is a sharp and deeply worrying trend of nursing home closures that is causing enormous concern for older people and their families.  Older people and their families across the northwest must have their voices heard. That requires immediate action from government to halt nursing home closures and build public capacity.

“In the last three years, there have been 31 private and voluntary nursing home closures resulting in the loss of 915 beds. Three of these closures were nursing homes in County Roscommon that served people in the northwest, with the loss of 67 beds. 

“Without government intervention, this will get considerably worse.

“An increasing number of nursing homes are considering leaving the Fair Deal Scheme and maintain it is not providing sustainable funding, while many more reported an operating loss in 2022 and are raising concerns about the viability of the sector.

“Our older people need love, support and security in their golden years but instead an increasing number of them are being told that there is nowhere for them to go.

“This issue is also compounded by the failure of the HSE to get to grips with disability respite care – which often takes place in a nursing home.  This is causing incredible stress for them and their families, and cannot be allowed to continue.

“As a society we can and must be so much better than that, and we need a government that is better than that.

“Our Sinn Féin spokesperson on Health, David Cullinane TD, and spokesperson on Older People, Patricia Ryan TD, are bringing forward this motion to set out the steps we believe need to be taken.  We need a plan that builds up public capacity and that shifts the burden of reliance away from the private sector.

“However, as an immediate measure, we must halt the trend of nursing homes closing.

“The Dáil goes into recess in July, and we simply cannot have a situation where government TDs head off on their holidays without putting in place a plan to address this crisis.

“Failure to address the rapidly decreasing capacity in our nursing homes is a dereliction of duty from the government, and I am urge TDs across the northwest to support our efforts to address this issue.”