HSE and Department of Integration refute claims from Laois election candidate about use of care home for asylum seekers

The Health Service Executive, and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth have both issued statements to the Leinster Express / Laois Live, rejecting a claim that a HSE facility is to be used for people seeking international protection.

A candidate in the Laois local elections has claimed that elderly residents St Brigid's Hospital Shaen are are to be moved out and International Protection Applicants are to replace them.

Donal Kelly, non-party candidate for the Portlaoise Municipal District, made his allegation in a video he posted on his Facebook campaign page.

However, the HSE, and the Department  have both issued statements to the Leinster Express / Laois Live, rejecting his assertion.

A spokesperson for Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth confirmed that no offer has been made for the Laois care home.

"The Department has received no offer of accommodation in respect of this property, and is not examining this property for use either for international protection applicants or for people fleeing Ukraine.

"As with all properties, in the event an offer is made in the future in respect of this site, it may be assessed for use. However, no offer nor enquiry has been received on behalf of the owner at this time."

A spokesperson for the HSE also rejected the claim by Mr Kelly.

"This is a long term care facility for older people and there are no plans to house international protection applicants at this facility. 

"There are 20 residents currently living in Shaen and continues as a long term care facility for older people," they said.

St Vincent's Community Nursing Unit in Mountmellick is midway through the €35m construction of a new 50 bed ensuite unit for its residents, required to comply with HIQA patient standards. Two more phases are to follow to offer a total of 130 bedrooms in the coming years. 

The HSE spokesperson has also confirmed that the building is "currently on schedule and is proposed to open in Summer 2025".

In his social media post, Mr Kelly first named another town in Ireland that he described as being "subjected to the influx of international protection applicants".

"For anybody who thinks this is an exaggeration that it's coming to a town or village near you soon, you're wrong.

"In Laois, there are plans afoot now to have St Brigid's Hospital in Shaen, which is a residential care centre for the elderly and infirm. Those people who are there at the moment, those poor unfortunates, they will be according to the plans, moved to the new centre in Mountmellick which is currently under construction. 

"I thought when I was looking at the construction of the beautiful new wing to this hospital, St Vincent's in Mountmellick, that it was going to give more capacity to take care of more of our elderly and infirm, but no. They are actually going to make no more capacity for them. What they'll do is they will uproot the poor people in St Brigid's in Shaen, move them to Mountmellick and replace them with international protection applicants. That's the plan. 

"As an elected councillor, I would be at the forefront of any protests that would be taking place, to protect our elderly and infirm. And make sure that the capacity is there for them. Nobody else, and I don't care who they are," he said.