Comment Ireland is in the grip of an ageing crisis – and the state will need to interveneLack of planning has created a ticking time bomb of an ageing population, a falling number of homeowners who will have equity to help pay for their own care, and nursing homes run mostly by the private sector
Opinion Private equity has been good for Ireland but something extraordinary is happening in health and housingWhere is the scrutiny of the consequences of international money owning Ireland’s nursing homes, housing estates, tolled motorways and private hospitals
Health ESRI: Big private operators now dominating nursing home sector With the closure of almost 700 public beds, the sector is now ‘increasingly reliant’ on a small number of large profit-driven operators, says state research body
Companies Newly-founded Platinum Homecare to create 250 care roles in next year Firm said it is poised to ‘redefine’ Ireland’s care model, making it more effective, personal, and technology-driven
Economy Exclusive: ‘Perfect storm’ prompts dramatic rise in insolvenciesInsolvency rate is the highest in five years while the construction, nursing home, hospitality and services sectors are the worst affected
Health Questions raised as Clifden public nursing home set to cost five times more than private facilityThe estimated cost per bed is €883,500 compared to €162,000 for new private nursing homes in a rural area
Commercial Property Expert questions state’s delay over repurposing former nursing homesIndustry insider rejects claims that closures are linked to a ‘better deal’ with refugee accommodation, saying rising staff costs in smaller homes are contributing to the problem
Politics Expert appointed to examine safeguarding within HSE following Emily caseHSE chief says he is not satisfied the health service yet fully understands all of the issues in the specific facility or those arising in the wider care context
Politics Varadkar: Abuse of resident at HSE-run nursing home ‘hugely distressing’ Taoiseach says a safeguarding expert from abroad will be appointed to gain a greater understanding of the issues at the facility
Health CareChoice billed for millions of euro by own shareholdersNursing home operator’s accounts show interest bill rose from €2 million in 2019 to €11.8 million in 2021
Commercial Property Demand for nursing homes increasing as deals worth €440m completed last yearFalling emigration, increased affluence along with improved health and longer life expectancy are sending demand for nursing home beds soaring with 2022 being the second-strongest year in terms of deals after 2021
Health 100 legal cases still ‘live’ over nursing home chargesDepartment of Health secretary general says there are between 12 and 20 cases over nursing home charges that could result in further liability to the state
Politics Varadkar says claims Attorney General’s office was used politically are ‘unfair’The Taoiseach also said there was nothing ‘sinister’ about how the government tried to minimise payments over nursing home care
Health Attorney General finds government’s legal strategy on nursing home fees was ‘sound’The government had been accused of minimising public payouts to nursing home residents who were wrongly charged for care
Politics ‘I am just surprised that there is such a level of surprise’ over state’s strategy Gareth Noble, a leading children’s lawyer, says the state’s legal containment strategy is also applied to cases including disabled children and adults
Health Conor O’Mahony: state’s legal strategy on nursing home charges is the rule, not the exception‘The aim is to send a message: if you come for the state, you’d better not miss’, writes Professor Conor O’Mahony of the School of Law at University College Cork
Politics Varadkar: nursing home legal strategy was ‘sound policy and legitimate’The Taoiseach said that he must have been briefed about the matter, and would have signed off on it
Politics Attorney General to investigate allegations of ‘illegal’ nursing home chargesA whistleblower has said the government pursued a secret strategy to minimise public payouts
Politics Taoiseach ‘did not know’ of state’s legal strategy on nursing home chargesVaradkar was responding to a report which claimed the state had pursued a strategy to suppress its liability in relation to ‘illegal’ nursing home charges
Health Soaring building prices pushes up cost of state nursing home contract by €100mMultinational construction company BAM withdrew when it could no longer stand by its agreed fixed price