The Tánaiste and Minister for Health has said she fully supports the decision to remove publicly-funded patients from the Leas Cross Nursing Home, which was found to be in breach of regulations.
Speaking in Tallaght in south Dublin this evening, Mary Harney said that the Health Service Executive would be advising the families of private patients in the home and said they should listen carefully to that advice.
The HSE earlier confirmed the news that it is making alternative arrangements for around 24 public patients it has placed in the home or funds through subventions.
The HSE said it will also be consulting with private patients at the home to inform them of the situation and will advise them to make alternative arrangements.
The move comes after new management arrangements put in place at the home in Swords, Co Dublin, after the intervention of the HSE.
The voluntary agreement reached recently between the owners of the home and the HSE was to see a Director of Nursing put into the home and a new Board of Management installed.
The HSE has said it does not believe that Leas Cross is in compliance with regulations.
Relatives concerned about transfers
Some of the relatives of public patients at the home who may be moved voiced their concerns to RTÉ News this evening.
Anna Grace, whose 75-year-old mother has been at the home for three years, said that any move would harm her mother's health.
Lucy Clifford, whose 84-year-old mother Anne Hanlon is also at the home, said she was angry about the decision.
Ms Clifford said that Leas Cross had become her mother's home and she would strongly resist any attempt by the authorities to move her.
Crisis follows RTÉ Prime Time programme
Last month, an RTÉ Prime Time Investigates programme exposed substandard care and patient neglect at Leas Cross. The HSE said it was shocked and appalled at the conditions exposed by the programme.
A move by the owners of the home to have the Prime Time broadcast halted failed in the High Court hours before the programme was aired.
In the wake of the programme, Ms Harney said she was shocked and appalled at conditions in the home and asked the executive to report urgently on the welfare of patients there.
Former Ombudsman accuses Govt
Meanwhile, the Government has been accused by a former Ombudsman of failing to perform its constitutional duty over the nursing home charges issue.
Kevin Murphy said the 'systemic maladministration' identified on the issue was 'clearly the collective responsibility of Government'.
He said he was appalled at the report of the Oireachtas Health Committee, which suggested there was a need to clarify the responsibilities of ministers.
Mr Murphy made his comments at the launch by the think-tank, TASC, of its research project on democracy in Ireland.
