The Tánaiste and Minister for Health, Mary Harney, has tonight apologised to the residents of Leas Cross nursing home in Swords, north Co Dublin, and their families.
Mrs Harney said she was shocked and disturbed by what she had seen on last night's RTÉ Prime Time Investigates programme.
The documentary showed sub-standard care and patient neglect at the nursing home.
A voluntary agreement has meanwhile been reached to put new management in place at the nursing home.
The Health Service Executive said that a director of nursing will be appointed tomorrow and a board of governance will be established under the temporary arrangement.
Earlier this evening, the Dáil debated a Fine Gael private member's motion calling for a specific regulatory body for nursing homes.
Earlier this afternoon the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, told the House that a strategic regulatory system would be put in place to govern the inspection of private and public nursing homes for the elderly as part of the proposed Social Services Inspectorate.
Mr Ahern also told the Dáil that there would be an inquiry into the issues raised on the programme.
The Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny, said the documentary raised very serious questions about the regulation role of the Health Service Executive.
Complaints made to HSE
Meanwhile, figures just published indicate there have been around 100 complaints made about private nursing homes to the Health Service Executive in the last 12 months. The HSE says it is committed to inspecting all such complaints.
On RTÉ's Morning Ireland this morning, the Minister of State with responsibility for the elderly, Sean Power, said patients at Leas Cross will be offered a place in another home if they want to move. He said he was deeply concerned at the content of the programme.
Age Action said the programme had prised open the nasty and murky side of Irish nursing home care.
Gary Fitzgerald of the British-based organisation Action on Elder Abuse said an independent and transparent inspectorate for nursing homes should be established.
He said that after the programme last night his organisation took more than 50 calls from people the length and breadth of Ireland.
Paul Costello of The Irish Nursing Homes Organisation said he has no doubt there are irresponsible homes operating in Ireland.
He said the sector is under-regulated, and what regulation there is, is vague and open to interpretation. Only a quarter of the country's nursing homes belong to his organisation.
Cameras expose treatment
Prime Time Investigates used secret cameras to show how elderly residents were treated inside Leas Cross.
Its owner, John Aherne, had tried to stop the programme being broadcast but his bid to secure an injunction against RTÉ failed last night just hours before the investigation was due to be screened.
Mr Aherne would not comment about the conditions found at his premises.
It has emerged that Mr Aherne applied this month to Fingal County Council for planning permission for a new seven-bed Alzheimer's unit at the nursing home.
Mr Aherne also made a settlement with the Revenue Commissioners for unpaid income tax in the year 2000 for almost €600,000.
