Bernard Allen
Question:295 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health the reason, in view of the shortage of beds for elderly people, he has limited the number of assisted beds in St. Mary's Nursing Home, Montennote, Cork.
Written Answers. - Cork Nursing Home.
The adequacy of extended care provision for the elderly in care was not an issue in the case referred to by the Deputy. On 3 February 1990 the proprietor of St. Martin's nursing home, Montennote, Cork, sought to transfer the approval under section 54 of the Health Act, 1970, from St. Martin's to St. Mary's nursing home, Montennote, Cork, as the patients at St. Martin's were being transferred to St. Mary's. I agreed to the transfer of the approval in respect of 40 beds, this being the number of beds in St. Martin's.
Subsequently, the proprietors of St. Mary's sought an order of certiorari in the High Court against this decision. The High Court refused the relief sought and upheld my decision.
I am satisfied that the Southern Health Board have access to sufficient extended care beds for the elderly in Cork.
The Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990, updates the law on nursing homes. Under its provisions, a statutory duty will be placed on health boards to register nursing homes. The boards will also be enabled to subvent a person in need of care in a registered nursing home, following an assessment of the person's dependency and their means and circumstances. The Act, which will repeal section 54 of the Health Act, 1970, will be commenced later this year.