Public money to be used to run Laois nursing home as HSE confirms takeover

Public funding is set to be used to ensure the continued running of Droimnín Nursing Home in Stradballly which has had its registration cancelled in Court.

The HSE has issued a statement to the Leinster Express / Laois Live confirming that it is to run the home as it was obliged to following HIQA's successful application to Portlaoise District Court to cancel its registration.

"Following a direction of the District Court, the HSE has assumed responsibility for the operation of Droimnin Private Nursing Home (4th February), acting as Provider of Last Resort under the provisions of the Health Act 2007.

"This action follows regulatory processes initiated by Health Information and Quality Authority(HIQA) and has been taken to ensure the ongoing safety, care and welfare of residents.

"Residents remain living in the nursing home and there are no immediate changes to day-to-day care arrangements. The HSE’s priority is to provide stability and continuity of care for residents, while minimising any distress for residents, families and staff.

READ ALSO: HSE takes charge of Laois nursing home after HIQA court application

"The HSE has put an interim management and clinical governance structure in place, including the appointment of a Person in Charge, supported by senior operational and clinical teams. Arrangements are also in place to ensure appropriate staffing, payroll and clinical oversight.

"The HSE is engaging closely with residents, families, staff, HIQA and other relevant stakeholders, and will continue to keep the situation under review," said the HSE.

A nursing home can loose its registration over the failure to meet regulatory standards over time and a substantial risk to the health and welfare of residents, often involving improper care.

The Chief Inspector of Social Services at HIQA first brought an application before the court to remove the home from the nursing home register in September 2025 due to the risk HIQA felt it posed to life or welfare. The Section 59 application of the 2007 Health Act was brought on foot of a HIQA inspection a week earlier on September 7 and 8, 2025.

It is the culmination of a long-running series of critical reports from HIQA into the home, which was the location of several deaths in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic.