Government and HIQA Respond After RTE Exposes Failings in Private Nursing Homes
Dublin: The Irish government has taken swift action following a shocking exposé by national broadcaster RTÉ, which revealed serious shortcomings in the care provided to elderly residents in private nursing homes operated by Emeis Ireland.
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has suspended new admissions to The Residence nursing home in Portlaoise—one of the facilities featured in the RTÉ Investigates documentary. The programme highlighted alarming conditions at both The Residence Portlaoise and Beneavin Manor in Glasnevin, Dublin, both operated by Emeis Ireland, formerly known as Orpea.
In a statement, HIQA confirmed that the decision to suspend admissions was directly prompted by the findings aired in the documentary. A spokesperson for the authority added that full inspection reports on both nursing homes are nearing completion and will be published shortly.
“We have serious concerns regarding the practices outlined in the programme,” HIQA stated. “We have contacted the relevant service providers and taken immediate action to ensure the safety and well-being of all current residents.”
Last year, HIQA carried out 840 inspections of nursing homes across Ireland, with 84% of reports indicating compliance. However, ten nursing homes had their registrations cancelled after failing to improve conditions despite repeated interventions. The two homes featured by RTÉ had already undergone multiple inspections.
While most facilities continue to meet national standards, HIQA stressed that persistent failures in a few centres threaten to undermine public trust in the sector. The Chief Inspector retains broad enforcement powers, including the suspension of services, where legal obligations are not met.
Emeis Ireland Issues Apology
In response to the exposé, Emeis Ireland has issued a public apology to residents and their families for the failures in care at the two nursing homes. The company, which operates 27 facilities nationwide and began operations under its current name in 2022, said it was “deeply sorry” for the distress caused.
“The findings are deeply saddening, unacceptable, and do not reflect our values,” a company spokesperson said. “We are conducting a full review of operations at both facilities and have issued new guidance to staff to ensure that resident safety, dignity, and well-being are never compromised.”
Taoiseach Micheál Martin also responded to the report, expressing his deep concern. “The failures highlighted by RTÉ are unacceptable. We must ensure that vulnerable older people are treated with respect and receive the highest standard of care,” he said.
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