Rostrevor House Staff Assured Of Payment

A sit-in by staff at the Rostrevor House nursing home has concluded following assurances by the facility’s manager, Sarah Lipsett, that they would be paid their redundancy entitlements and all outstanding money owed to them.

The home in Rathgar, County Dublin, was closed down and the last resident moved out yesterday after it was taken over by the HSE following allegations of serious elder abuse.

Ten employees refused to leave the premises until their employer agreed to talk to their representatives and provide written assurances they would receive holiday pay and redundancy entitlements. SIPTU and Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) representatives waited into the evening for a meeting with Sarah Lipsett.

SIPTU Sector Organiser, Louise O'Reilly, said: “This was very distressing for all concerned but shows that while great progress has been made in the area of nursing home inspections more work needs to be done to protect those who are left behind. Some of the workers in this nursing home took the very brave step of approaching the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) and in return were dismissed without any procedures being followed and without being afforded any degree of natural justice.”

She added: “The workers in this nursing home had to wait until very late in the evening of the final day to receive assurances that they would be paid their redundancy and any outstanding money owed to them. We are very disappointed that this sends out the message that those who co-operate with investigations face losing their jobs and that while they are valued as whistlebowers they are left to fend for themselves in the aftermath.”

Today SIPTU will meet with Rostrevor House nursing home representatives and in accordance with the agreement signed by Sarah Lipsett will collect all monies owed to the workers, their P45s and their references. SIPTU has also written to Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly, requesting that he examine the aftermath of HIQA closures and take steps to ensure that whistleblowers and those who provide good care are protected.

In a statement released on Tuesday after Rostrevor House was closed, the workers wrote: “We feel that we are being punished for putting the care and well-being of the residents in our care first and penalised for the behaviour of other people. Unfortunately, the message that this will send out to care workers and others is that if you report abuse you and other innocent work colleagues will lose their jobs.”

(BMcN)