A protest is under way in Lucan over a decision by the Health Service Executive to transfer the residents of a nursing home to alternative accommodation.
In May, Passage Healthcare, which ran Lucan Lodge Nursing Home entered liquidation, at which point the HSE stepped in to manage the facility.
In June, the HSE wrote to families to say legionella had been detected in water supplies at the home and for this reason along with fire safety concerns, residents would have to be transferred to other facilities by today.
The HSE pointed out that it does not own Lucan Lodge, and is currently operating it on a specific and limited basis under Section 64 of the Health Act 2007.
In a letter to residents and their families it said substantial works would be required to make Lucan Lodge fit to be registered with HIQA for any future use as a nursing home.
It said this would involve upgrades of the mechanical, electrical and water systems in the building along with Infection Prevention Control works.
Resident Connie Kiernan, 93, questioned why the Government cannot intervene and provide money.
She has been living in the home since March and is highly complementary of the staff and the facility.
Despite looking at other homes when the HSE issued word last month that residents would have to transfer out of the facility, Ms Kiernan could not find any that suited her needs.
She has said she will be staying at Lucan Lodge and watching the opening ceremony of the Olympics at the home this evening.
"What can they do? Wheel me out to the garden and just leave me there?", she said.
"It’s not my problem, I’m staying put", she said.
The HSE has acknowledged that the transfer of residents is a very difficult decision for them and their families.
However, in a statement it said it was necessary to move the residents owing to the risks to their safety, health and well-being as well as staff and visitors, "from the presence of Legionella in the water supply and fire safety risks that have been identified".
The statement said that the ongoing impact of the emergency water safety controls were impacting residents' "dignity and welfare".
However, families and advocates for the residents have offered to pay for a company to rid Lucan Lodge of legionella.
Bernadette White, whose mother is in the nursing home said the company in question managed to solve the same problem at a North County Dublin nursing home within three months.
Families also say that despite numerous requests they have not been provided with documentation showing the bacteria in the water or documentation regarding the fire safety concerns.
The HSE has said the team onsite in Lucan Lodge has been engaging with residents and families since it took charge in May to ensure all residents are involved "to the greatest extent possible in discussions and the alternative arrangements being made".
So far, 48 out of around 70 residents have moved out of the facility and the HSE has said there is no plan to transfer people to hospitals unless there is a clinical need to do so.
Transfer trauma is a real concern of families.
Barbara Cinelli's father was previously moved from a nursing home, which was shut down due to non-compliance.
"Three weeks into his new place, after he transferred, he was deteriorating, his health was failing, he was going downhill...the trauma of the transfer was so real we had to take him out".
From that facility, Barbara's father moved to Lucan Lodge in April where she said he has been thriving.
"We don't want him to go because the transfer trauma is real and it does affect his well being", she said.
The HSE also said it is making alternative arrangements available on an individual basis under the Health Act and that this has been communicated to residents and families.
It acknowledged that there are a number of residents who remain onsite today, but said it would continue to engage with them.
The HSE said the its priority remains "ensuring the safety, welfare and dignity of the residents in the difficult situation which has arisen following the cancellation of the registration of the former provider of Lucan Lodge, the identification of legionella and fire safety risks at the premises and the ongoing and unsustainable restrictions to residents’ rights due to the restricted water supply."
Care Champions have called on the Government to intervene and fund the HSE to enable it to become a public nursing home.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
