Government refuses to commit to reform of nursing home sector
Government refuses to commit to reform of nursing home sector - The Labour Party
- Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil counter-motion complete cop-out
Labour’s Social Protection Spokesperson Mark Wall TD was today speaking during the Labour Party’s Private Members’ Time in the Dáil to demand urgent action to curb the power of big business in the nursing home sector. Speaking in Leinster House, Deputy Wall slammed the Government’s counter-motion saying it completely underplays the urgency and magnitude of the problem and that it is an insult to those impacted. He called on all TDs to support the Labour Party motion when it comes to voting later today.
Deputy Wall said:
“The State must deliver a Fair Deal for Care – that means ending the dominance of private companies and investment funds in nursing home care and giving people the real choice to age in their own homes and communities. The right to home care has been promised since 2017. Seven years on, nothing has changed. Older people are being pushed into institutional care that is profit-driven, under-resourced and too often neglectful.
“The recent RTÉ Investigates programme exposed harrowing examples of neglect and cruelty in Emeis-run homes. But this is not a one-off. This is the inevitable result of a system where corporate profit comes before compassion. Emeis Ireland, one of the country’s largest providers, now controls 27 nursing homes – six in my own County Kildare. That’s too much power in the hands of one private operator.
“Twenty years ago, just 30% of nursing homes were privately owned. Now, it’s nearly 80%. What has that got us? Scandals, inquiries, and hand-wringing – but no reform. We heard the same apologies after Leas Cross, after the Farrelly Commission. But the lessons were not learned, and the model remains broken. We need a tidal wave of reform, not more empty words.
“Labour’s motion sets out the path to genuine reform – introducing minimum staffing levels, giving HIQA stronger enforcement powers, and finally passing adult safeguarding legislation. We are calling for the State to take back control by nationalising the 27 homes run by Emeis Ireland. We cannot keep putting the care of our parents and grandparents in the hands of profit-driven multinationals.
“We also need a functioning home care system – one that is statutory, fully funded, and available to all. That means investing in care workers, fixing delays in housing adaptation grants, and developing proper infrastructure so older people can age with dignity in their own communities.
“The Government says it wants to support people to live at home, but it continues to underfund and underdeliver. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s counter-motion today was a complete cop-out. It underplays the urgency and magnitude of the problem, it is insulting to everyone impacted and their families. We need real action, a reset of our care model, not more excuses from Government. We’re calling on all TDs to support our motion when it comes to voting later today.”