Ring raises the issue of St Brendan’s Nursing Unit in the Dáil

Michael Ring, TD, in the Topical Issues Debate in the Dáil last night, September 20, raised the very important issue of the funding troubles facing St Brendan’s Nursing Home in Mulranny.

The issue was highlighted indepthly in the September 5 issue of The Mayo News.

Deputy Ring outlined the tremendous facility that is St Brendan’s, with a wonderful reputation and the fact that it has been opened since 1998.

St Brendan’s is a rural based nursing home that provides many people with opportunities to remain and live in their own village. It is a not-for-profit nursing home and a registered charity but it is classified as private and is non-HSE.

Deputy Ring further stated: “Unfortunately, due to rising cost this nursing home is finding it increasingly difficult to survive. St Brendan's nursing home urgently requires financial support from the Government. It is vital that we support community-based nursing homes. They provide tremendous service.”

Deputy Ring continued: “St Brendan's Nursing Home, along with other private, non-profit nursing homes carry out the same work as the HSE-run units with the same number of residents. The HSE units get 60 percent more funding than a nursing unit such as St. Brendan's in Mulranny. There needs to be equality and fairness in the system.”

“I also pointed out that we simply cannot let St. Brendan's nursing home close. It has been open for many years and there are a lot of local people dependent on it.”

St Brendan’s is registered as a charity so it should not be classed as private nursing home. It should get the same funding as HSE-run nursing homes, similar to the nearest facility in Achill Sound.”

Minister's response

Minister of State with responsibility for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler, TD, responded to Deputy Ring.

Minister Butler stated; “I am eenly aware of the challenges that have been faced by the nursing home sector across the country over the last three years. These have been exacerbated since last year by inflationary cost increases.”

Minister of State Butler thanked Deputy Ring for raising the situation relating to voluntary nursing homes. She then outlined the funding that had been given and she did state that other options to support nursing home are being explored.

“Anyone who has had a scheduled renegotiation of their deed of agreement this year – 60 percent of nursing homes have renegotiated successfully - with the NTPF has seen a significant uplift of between 6 percent and 7 percent on their contracts. That is out of the €40 million that was provided. The second thing we have done is that anyone who renegotiated their deed this year now has an opportunity to renegotiate every 12 months. Previously it was every two or three years. We hope that will deal with the inflationary piece.”

Minister of State Butler stated that she will be looking very positively to secure more funding for the nursing homes sector as she acknowledged the challenges that smaller-run nursing homes have.

“She has stated that she has taken the points I raised on board. Finally, I invited the Minister of State Butler to actually visit St Brendan’s to witness the good work being carried out there,” concluded Deputy Ring.