Admissions stop at a second Laois nursing home in Portlaoise

Admissions have been suspended to two Laois nursing homes following revelations which exposed shortcomings in care at The Residence nursing home in Portlaoise.

Kilminchy Lodge Nursing Home joins The Residence, Portloaise, in a list of 25 nursing homes in the Emeis Ireland group. These homes cannot take new residents until they have demonstrated compliance with regulations governing the running of nursing homes for the elderly.

The move is revealed in a new HIQA report sought on all homes owned by Emeis Ireland that followed the RTÉ Investigates documentary in Portlaoise and Glasnevin. 

The HIQA report says its inspectors have also begun a programme of inspection in all of the other nursing homes operated by Emeis Ireland to verify the effectiveness of the provider’s assurance action plan as part of those inspections.

The report, which was commissioned by the Minister of State with responsibility for Older People Kieran O'Donnell, said the initial findings of these inspections showed "a system under significant strain". A further meeting took place with the relevant registered providers on 13 June 2025.

"At that meeting the registered providers were requested to consider pausing admissions to these nursing homes and to all other nursing homes in the group until they have implemented their own improvement plan. The registered providers were informed that in the event that a pause in admissions is not implemented the Chief Inspector may consider attaching a condition to the registration of each centre, as appropriate, to restrict admissions to each nursing home through our legal processes," said the HIQA report.

Admissions to The Residence, which has a capacity for 101, were halted from April 22, but this did not stop new the home from admitting. MORE BELOW PHOTO.

The Residence, Portlaoise opened in late 2023.

When this emerged, the registered provider was required to attend a warning meeting on 19 May 2025, and were issued with a formal letter "warning of prosecution" if the provider admitted any new residents and the condition was breached again.

The new report was ordered in early June 2024 after the RTÉ expose. It details restrictions on seven of the 25 homes run by Emeis Ireland due to a failure to comply with regulations.

Located off the Dublin Road in Portlaoise, Kilminchy Lodge has a capacity for 74 residents. It was previously owned by the Brindley Healthcare Limited, which was acquired by Orpea Care Ireland Limited. Orpea was subsequently rebranded as Emeis which has French parent company.

The Residence opened in late 2023. It is a purpose-built facility.