Garda referrals made by company that runs Laois nursing home in Portlaoise that could be shut down

Management at the company that runs The Residence nursing home in Portlaoise and a Dublin home that were subject to an undercover RTÉ investigation have told regulators that they have referred incidents to the Gardaí.

That's according to a new HIQA report which reveals that the regulator has warned Emeis Ireland that the Laois and Dublin homes could face closure if it does not comply with regulations governing the care of its residents, according to a report ordered by the Government.

It also reveals that there were 198 notifications of an "allegation, suspected or confirmed of abuse to a resident" in the Beneavin Manor in Dublin.

There were 40 notifications of allegations of abuse at The Residence Portlaoise since December 2023. It opened that year.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) warned Emeis Ireland that the registration for the home could be cancelled for the Portlaoise home, and a sister home in Dublin is revealed in an interim report published by the Department of Health on June 17.   

The report was compiled at the request of the Minister of State for Older People at the Department of Health, Kieran O’Donnell TD, to provide an interim overview of HIQA’s Chief Inspector of Social Services’ regulatory oversight of 25 named designated centres for older people within the Emeis Ireland group. 

HIQA says a final report will be provided to the Minister upon completion of a review of the regulatory history of all of the centres owned by Emeis Ireland.

The interim report focuses on The Residence and Beneavin Manor, Glasnevin which were the focus of the RTÉ Investigates programme. HIQA outlines its response.

"Until the programme aired on 4 June 2025, HIQA was not aware of the full detail of what was found in the footage or what would be broadcast. Once notified that the programme was to be broadcast, the Deputy Chief Inspector with responsibility for
nursing homes engaged immediately with the registered provider of both nursing homes seeking assurances that residents were safe.

"HIQA’s immediate regulatory response in the aftermath of the RTÉ Investigates programme was to ensure that the providers responsible for the operation of Firstcare Beneavin Manor and The Residence Portlaoise, were taking appropriate action to protect the safety and wellbeing of the residents in the two nursing homes which were the focus of the television programme.

"A series of unannounced inspections commenced, with inspectors undertaking unannounced inspections of both nursing homes in the evening and in the early hours of the morning, as well as during the day, to ascertain the service provided at
all times of day and night.

"Inspections of The Residence Portlaoise were carried out on 5, 8 and 12 June 2025, with the timing of the inspector’s arrival in the centre on each of the three days informed by the contents of the programme and targeted towards times of reduced staffing (5pm on Thursday 5 June, 8pm on Sunday 8 June and at 8am on Thursday 12 June) to ensure that there were sufficient numbers of staff to care for residents and to supervise the delivery of care.

"Inspections of Firstcare Beneavin Manor were carried out on 5, 8 and 12 June 2025, with the timing of the inspector’s arrival in the centre on each of the three days also targeted towards times of reduced staffing (6.30pm on Thursday 5 June, 4.20am on Sunday 8 June and at 7.50 am on Thursday 12 June).

"As expected, in the aftermath of the programme, inspectors found that the provider had taken a range of measures to address the immediate risk to residents. Over the three days of inspection of both Firstcare Beneavin Manor and The Residence Portlaoise, inspectors found that issues such as supplies and linen had been addressed. While actions had been taken to improve staffing, further improvements to staffing and staff supervision were required," it said.

HIQA said reports of inspections will be prepared and published, informed by the findings of the inspections and a full review of all information received, including meetings and feedback from residents and relatives and staff.

It said a core part of this inspection programme has included meeting with residents and with their families.

"Many residents, families and staff have also contacted HIQA’s Concerns Helpdesk to tell us about their experiences of living in those homes and in other nursing homes across Ireland. In addition, we have written to all residents and families in those nursing homes inviting them to tell us about their experiences. This information is crucial in informing our regulatory response," said the report.

The regulator also outlines its dealings with management.

"Senior Emeis Ireland officers, who are also Directors of each company operating the two nursing homes, were required to attend a formal warning meeting with the Chief Inspector on 9 June 2025 to set out the actions they were taking to ensure the
residents in both The Residence Portlaoise and Firstcare Beneavin Manor were safe and were receiving the care that they should.

"Both providers were issued with an official warning of cancellation of registration should they fail to implement significant improvements in the care of residents. They were also required to set out how they would be addressing the ineffective systems of oversight, management and supervision, and the staff culture issues in each nursing home which enabled staff members to treat their residents in such an inhumane manner," it said.

The Interim Report said the registered provider of both The Residence Portlaoise and Firstcare Beneavin Manor gave the following commitments regarding the care of residents in both homes:

• 1. They are currently complying with the condition preventing admissions to The Residence Portlaoise and will continue to comply. They are aware that they cannot admit residents there until the condition is removed.
• 2. They have voluntarily ceased the admission of any new residents to Firstcare Beneavin Manor until they were assured that the issues were addressed.
• 3. Management and staffing levels have been increased in both centres with immediate effect.
• 4. Senior staff from other nursing homes have been deployed to improve the effectiveness of staff supervision in both centres.
• 5. External, independent consultants have been retained to undertake a root cause analysis of what occurred in both centres, to inform further ongoing actions to be taken by the provider.
• 6. Staff disciplinary action had been initiated.
• 7. Where appropriate, referrals had been made to An Garda Síochána.

The report was published by the Department of Health after the Minister for Older People Kieran O’Donnell and Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, with Department of Health officials, met with HIQA on June 17 to discuss the interim report.

A statement issued to the Leinster Express / Laois Live said the content and findings of the interim report is being considered along with a full report which is due from HIQA by the end of this week.