A nursing home in Portlaoise, run by Emeis Ireland, breached a restriction on admissions imposed by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) earlier this year, RTÉ Investigates has learned.
This morning, HIQA confirmed that following an inspection of The Residence Portlaoise in February this year, it initiated proceedings to stop admissions to the nursing home.
The provider was advised of this measure in February, a formal notification was issued in March and the restriction came into effect on 22 April.
However, the nursing home was in breach of the sanction after 22 April.
It is understood a flurry of admissions took place to the home in late April, including post 22 April and during which time RTÉ Investigates had an undercover healthcare assistant working at the home.
RTÉ Investigates has contacted Emeis Ireland for comment - the company has yet to respond.
Earlier, HIQA confirmed that it is carrying out a review of all nursing homes operated by the Emeis Ireland group.
The RTÉ Investigates programme uncovered multiple examples of care failings and neglect of vulnerable older residents at The Residence Portlaoise and Beneavin Manor in Glasnevin in north Dublin, two nursing homes run by Emeis Ireland.
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In a statement, HIQA said that "the practices shown in the programme were wholly unacceptable and shocking".
It confirmed that its "Chief Inspector is taking escalated regulatory action in the nursing homes identified," adding that HIQA "will take any necessary additional actions with the provider to ensure safe and effective care and support to all residents".
HIQA said that at the request of Minister of State with responsibility for Older People Kieran O'Donnell, it had commenced a review of all nursing homes operated by the Emeis Ireland group.
"While these processes are ongoing and so as not to prejudice the outcome of this work, we cannot comment further until this work is concluded," the statement said.
Meanwhile, a former general secretary of the INMO said he felt shame, sadness, frustration and anger watching the RTÉ Investigates programme into care practices at two nursing homes.
"Looking at people who have served this country, have worked for this country, and have shown fortitude much more than the modern generation, and that's how we treat them. Shame, shame on all of us," Liam Doran said.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, Mr Doran said Ireland has a flawed model that leans into the private sector, and the primary motivation for the private sector is profit.
He said he does not believe that 87% of nursing homes are fully compliant, as claimed by Minister O'Donnell earlier.
Mr Doran said there must be a move away from claiming that there is a high degree of compliance and instead acknowledging the need for legislation to protect the elderly in care.
"And I would say back to the minister, gently but forcibly, compliant with what minister? What exactly do we have in place, underpinned by legislation, with regard to the care of older people that ensures that care is being met?"
Mr Doran warned that without underpinning policies over elder care with legislation, "the type of thing we saw last night will again occur, as it did 20 years ago in Leas Cross".
He said HIQA can bark at nursing home providers, but "it cannot bite" because if it closes services down the provider of last resort is the State and the State has never shown a willingness to be the main provider.
In 2024, HIQA inspectors conducted 840 inspections of nursing homes and it said that 84% of those were "unannounced".
According to HIQA, most nursing homes can expect one or two inspections a year, but "we carry out more inspections in those centres where there are concerns about the care and welfare of residents or where there is repeated non-compliance with the regulations".
In 2024, HIQA said 36 nursing homes received three or more inspections in response to persistent non-compliance.
"The nursing homes featured in this programme were subject to a number of additional inspections in an effort to bring them into compliance," the HIQA statement said.
HIQA said that while the vast majority of nursing homes provide good quality care, it said "a small number... struggle to maintain compliance with the regulations".
It said that "where there is persistent non-compliance with the regulations or where there is risk to residents' safety" HIQA's Chief Inspector can take a number of enforcement steps.
These may include stopping new admissions "until improvements are made" or "in some cases cancelling the registration of a designated centre".
HIQA said it was "conscious" that nursing homes are people's homes and that this latter course of action "can cause significant upset and distress to residents and their families".
In 2024, HIQA refused to renew registration or cancelled the registration of ten nursing homes.
'Confidence' in HIQA - O'Callaghan
Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan said the Government is committed to developing a policy in respect of adult safeguarding and a Bill in relation to this would be published in the near future.
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, he said last night's programme would have an impact in terms of bringing that forward promptly, but there is still legislation in place governing many of the issues raised.
The minister said he had "no doubt" this would be a priority for the Department of Health, adding that he expects an update from the department soon.
He said he has confidence in HIQA and that while there would always be cases of standards not being complied with, HIQA is there to ensure it is not common.
'Wake-up call'
The Minister for Older People said he met with HIQA yesterday to discuss issues raised in the RTÉ Investigates programme.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Kieran O'Donnell said he now expects HIQA and the Chief Inspector to use all their available powers to improve the situation.
"What we saw last night was a wake up call for everyone," he said, adding that there have to be environments that are safe for older people.
He said he also told HIQA that he wants to see inspections taking place quicker, and to re-double its efforts to deal with these two nursing homes.
The minister said HIQA told him it has adequate resources and sufficient statutory powers.
Mr O'Donnell stressed that 87% of the homes audited by HIQA are compliant and provide great care for residents.
He said there is a commitment for a national policy on safeguarding for adults in the Programme for Government and he wants this brought to Cabinet before the summer recess.
SIPTU calling for action to ensure safe staffing levels
SIPTU representatives are calling for action from the Government to ensure safe staffing levels are implemented in the private nursing-home sector.
In a statement, SIPTU sector organiser Liz Cloherty said: "The devastating reality is that the Government has effectively outsourced the care of our elderly to a for-profit sector primarily concerned with the bottom line for years and we are seeing the fruits of that now before our very eyes.
"We have written to Minister of State for Older People, Kieran O'Donnell TD seeking an urgent meeting to deal with issues arising from these revelations.
"Most damning was seeing how chronic understaffing and a lack of regulation, directly caused by poverty wages in the sector has shattered the morale of care workers while compromising patient safety. It has to stop," added Ms Cloherty.
'Not acceptable'
The Chairperson of Safeguarding Ireland said she was disturbed, distressed and angry at what she saw on last night's programme.
Patricia Rickard-Clark said it is not acceptable that there was a delay of four months before HIQA carried out an inspection after concerns were raised by nurse Clare Doyle.
Ms Rickard-Clark said that "even if there is one person being abused that is a serious incident that should be followed up immediately".
She said that despite the scandal at the Leas Cross nursing home in Swords in Dublin 20 years ago, things have gone backwards.
A Prime Time report in 2005 revealed sub-standard living conditions at the facility.
Ms Rickard-Clark said she knew that abuses were going on but did not expect such gaps to still exist in 2025.
She called on the Government to establish a working group, with a senior public servant seconded to it, to deal with and implement the recommendations of the Law Reform Commission's report that was published in April 2024 and sets out the policy and legal changes that need to be made.
This would put a legal framework in place, she said.
"At the moment, we're working to a HSE limited policy, which is run by the HSE by safeguarding and protection teams, but it is very limited to limited healthcare issues," she said.
"There are much wider issues in safeguarding."
Ms Rickard-Clark said HIQA has questions to answer.
However, she pointed out that the health watchdog looks at systemic issues and does not have the function of dealing with individual complaints or concerns.
