HIQA goes to Portlaoise court to remove Laois nursing home's registration

HIQA have brought an application before Portlaoise District Court to remove Droimnin Nursing Home’s registration.

Alison Fynnes BL moved the application on behalf of the Chief Inspector of Social Services at HIQA (Health Information and Quality Authority) as she said they had reasonable grounds for believing there was a risk to life or welfare at the nursing home.

Ms Fynes said the regulator's application was coming before the court at short notice due to the urgency of the matter. She offered to open the details of her application in court to highlight the urgency of the matter.

Mr Kennedy SC for the nursing home described it as remarkable that the papers, which ran to 300 pages, had been served on the nursing home after 7pm on Friday evening. He said he needed time to take instructions and respond to the application. He asked the judge to consider listing it for the following week.

He noted the urgency of the application but said his client had a right to fair procedure. He objected to the papers being opened and said it could be prejudicial to his client. Mr Kennedy said there was an appeal by the nursing home to HIQA in a separate matter listed for Friday. He suggested that both matters could be listed on Friday. Mr Kennedy said he wasn’t suggesting that the matter “disappear into the ether” but he requested time to respond.

Ms Fynes said “this matter is particularly urgent” and had not been brought lightly. “This is only the fourth time that this type of application has been moved in relation to a nursing home since 2016,” said Ms Fynes.

She said the application was brought following a HIQA Inspection of the nursing home on September 7 and 8, 2025. Ms Fynes said concerns were raised in relation to three specific residents, one of whom is unfortunately now deceased.

Mr Kennedy asked why his client had not been immediately informed that there was a serious risk to life or health. “There was no request to meet members of the board,” he said.

He said the nursing home’s CEO and Director were in court, while they could instead be addressing issues at the nursing home. He said they had carried out a considerable amount of work over the weekend to alleviate risks at the home.

Judge Susan Fay said she would like to see a response to the application by the close of business on Thursday for mention on Friday.
While no evidence for the application was read out in court, Ms Fynes pointed out paragraphs in the application for Judge Fay to read. She noted it was an option to cancel registration under another application but said Section 59 of the Health Act 2007 was used due to the urgency.

She said the inspectors hadn’t immediately acted as they didn’t have the authority to do so.

"That explains why there was not a conversation at conclusion of Inspection,” said Ms Fynes.

Mr Kennedy said it would take “trojan work” to have an affidavit ready for the court by Thursday. He said there were 49 residents at the home and it has committed not to take on any more people. He said four or five of the residents were in their 90s and there were few nursing homes in the local area.

Judge Susan Fay noted the concerns on both sides and said she wanted a response to the application ready by the close of business on Thursday evening for mention before the court on Friday.

Section 59 of the Health Act 2007 grants the Chief Inspector of Social Services within HIQA the power to apply to the district court for an order to cancel or vary a nursing home's registration if there is a serious risk to residents.