Nursing Homes
Dail Éireann — 2026-01-22
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Brian Stanley (IND), Laois

I thank the Minister of State for the reply. We have a huge shortage of nursing home beds in County Laois. There is also a shortage of respite beds and step-down beds when people are discharged from acute units such as in Portlaoise and Tullamore hospitals. The population, in particular of the elderly, is increasing rapidly. If we are going to spend €38 million on a new building with a 50-bed capacity, which I wholeheartedly welcome, we need to get extra capacity for that money. However, the plan is to move out the existing 50 patients to the new wing and to close the two existing wards. I have been in the unit and I accept that one of those wards is not fit to be used again, as it needs to be refurbished. However, St. Anne's ward was extensively refurbished in recent years. It is a fantastic facility and it is in perfect condition. It has en suite rooms. I urge the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, and the Minister of State with responsibility for the elderly, Deputy O'Donnell, not to let it be boarded up and lie idle. This would bring the capacity of the hospital from 58 to 83. The new wing will soon be open. It is important that St. Anne's ward is not boarded up. We must gain from the €31 million that is being spent in Mountmellick.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-01-22/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:32+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-22