Minister to be asked to turn Laois nursing home into Community Hospital 

Laois County Council will write to the Minister for Health to ask for a private nursing home to be turned into a community hospital. 

Fianna Fail Cllr Paschal McEvoy requested the move in a motion at a recent Council meeting.   

He asked “that Laois County Council write to the Minister for Health requesting that her Department take over Droimnín Nursing Home Stradbally permanently and run it as a  Community Hospital”.

Cllr McEvoy explained that a team from the HSE had taken over the running of the nursing home after HIQA went to court expressing concerns about the facility. 

He told the meeting that there was in the region of 30 residents still in the nursing home who were being well cared for.  “There has been no admissions since the HSE took over,” said Cllr McEvoy. 

He said the HSE had taken in additional agency staff to help run the nursing home. 

“There is a fear that it might eventually close down,” he said. 

He said there was a need for nursing home beds throughout the county. “I would be fearful the long-term plan is not what we would like it to be,” he remarked.  

Cllr McEvoy described the staff as “excellent” and said the problem was there were not enough of them at the nursing home. 

He said it would be a shame to see the nursing home close and he noted that the HSE ran excellent facilities elsewhere in the county. 

“There is no reason in the world the HSE can’t go in and turn this into a community run hospital,” said Cllr McEvoy. 

He said residents and their families are fearful that the nursing home will be wound down. He expressed his hope that the Minister would respond positively to the request.  

Fianna Fail Cllr Padraig Fleming agreed and noted that the staff were always “obliging and friendly” when he visited Drominin Nursing Home. 

“I am surprised that the HSE can’t go in and get it all resolved”, he said. He said he had never heard any complaints from the residents in the home. 

READ ALSO: HSE takes over operation of Laois nursing home

In response to the motion, Council Administrator, Therese Kelly, said “Therese to issue letter to the Minister for Health post meeting”. 

An order was made by Portlaoise District Court cancelling the registration of Droimnin Nursing Home on February 4 last following an application by HIQA.  

“In the interests of the health, safety and quality of life of the residents, and in accordance with Section 64 of the Health Act 2007, the Health Service Executive (HSE) was directed to take charge of the nursing home from 2pm on Wednesday 4 February 2026,” HIQA said in a statement at the time. The HSE has been running the home since the order was made.  

The issue was raised during the March monthly meeting of Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District.