Thurles Information

Emeis Ireland, formerly known as Orpea who operate 27 nursing homes across Ireland and who were featured at the centre of a programme initiated by “RTÉ Investigates”, has issued an apology to both residents and their families.

Emeis Ireland, who first entering the Irish market in 2022; following last night’s undercover investigations by RTE at The Residence Portlaoise, and at Beneavin Manor in Glasnevin, appeared to demonstrated that their chain’s brand, placed profit as their most paramount consideration.

An Taoiseach Mr Micheál Martin today expressed grave concern regarding the investigation’s findings and no doubt an Tanaiste Mr Simon Harris will express similar concerns. But will Emeis Ireland be prosecuted for their failure to grant respect and dignity to elderly residents? Will those who were charged with minding both their nursing shops be allowed to continue in their supervisory rolls?

To the majority of those who viewed last night’s programme, RTE’s discovery’s were glimpsed as repulsive, holly unjustifiable, completely unacceptable and enormously distressing, while raising deep concern as to the well-being, the dignity and daily safety of elderly residents in other facilities run by Emeis Ireland.

The usual public relations (PR) machinery was quickly rolled out, once Emeis Ireland realised the game was up. Phrases emanated from their head office, like warmth from a fireplace:-
“We will not tolerate any individual or systemic neglect, nor any practices that compromise resident safety, rights, or dignity.”
“All concerns will be promptly investigated, reported to the appropriate regulatory authorities, and followed up with individualised safeguarding plans and strengthened oversight to mitigate the risk of recurrence”
“Assistance programmes for residents, families, and staff are being established in response to the serious issues identified,” – the usual horse feathers and empty prattle trotted out in an inconsequential way, by similar large companies on this island of Ireland today.

This situation arises after staff at the bottom of the pay scale, in two Emeis Ireland nursing homes were seen to have left residents dressed in inappropriate incontinence wear, same unchanged for hours, due to a shortage of bed linen. We watched in horror as two frustrated staff roughly manhandled a protesting dementia patient, with no apparent oversight by management. Cutbacks in relation to medical supplies and failure to provide necessary staff required, added to the poor clinical practices carried out across both nursing homes.

While staff members at the Emeis operated nursing homes had made protected disclosures to the Health Information and Equality Authority (HIQA), it had taken 17 weeks for follow-up inspections to be carried out, the programme reported.

HIQA confirmed today that it now carrying out a review of all nursing homes operated by the Emeis Ireland group, following the multiple care failings and obvious neglect of vulnerable older residents at the two nursing homes, documented by ‘RTÉ Investigates’.

So called responsible persons within the Irish health service at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic (coronavirus pandemic) which arrived into Ireland first in February 2020, discovered that Nursing Homes had no personal protective equipment (PPE) available to staff. This error greatly contributed to 6,066 deaths (17%) occurring in same nursing homes, (we won’t mention the 2,188 deaths (6.3%) occurring in hospices), which should have raised a red flag with regard to the activities being carried out in these same establishments run solely without dignity and for profit foremost.

The Leas Cross Nursing Home scandal erupted in Ireland when the nursing home, located near Swords in Dublin, was closed several weeks after a 2005 Prime Time television report revealed sub-standard living conditions there. Yet, some 20 years on we have learned nothing. Leas Cross should have been a wake-up cry and should have sparked real change as to how we, going forward, should be supporting and caring for older people.
Both government and opposition appear to spend their three day week in Dáil Éireann discussing the state of Israel and Gaza, while issues at home break up into small parts as the result of impact and decay

Our heads of government, continue to delude themselves into believing that they are powerful world leader. Sadly, the taxpayer, the government and the opposition can now add this Emeis Ireland nursing home ludicrous and humiliating fiasco to their long list of failures here in Ireland carried out under their watch.

I refer of course to:
The €808,000 Dáil printer scandal, where a printer was purchased but could not fit into the print room, leading to over €230,000 in modifications;
The €725 million RTÉ bailout;
The Office of Public Works (OPW) Government Buildings security hut at a final cost of €1.43 million;
The National Children’s Hospital overrun, which has now surpassed €2.5 billion;
The €22 million spent on covid ventilators, that never worked, with another €50,000 spent on storing them;
The €2.5 billion paid out in medical compensation over ten years, by the Health Service Executive;
The OPW Leinster House bike shed costing €336,000;
The OPW Iveagh House refurbishment costing €825,000;
The National Transport Authority spending on Metro North, (in the region of €300 million) with nothing built;
The OPW wall at the Workplace Relations Commission’s Dublin headquarters, which escalated from an initial estimate of €200,000 to over €490,000;
The 120 electric buses, costing €80.4 million that sat idle for a year and a half in Dublin, due to the lack of charging infrastructure;
The €6.7 million spent by the Arts Council on an Information Technology system, that has never delivered;
The National Gallery scanner, purchased at €120,000, but never used because no suitable room was found;
The failure to protect pedestrians who choose to walk the streets of our Capital City during daylight hours.
The review into the use of unapproved implantable springs in spinal surgery at Temple Street, Children’s Hospital.
The recent issues regarding children’s hip developmental dysplasia at Temple Street, Children’s Hospital and elsewhere.

“Quis custodes ipsos custodiat?” – Translated from the Latin – “Who shall keep the keepers themselves?”

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