Funding Secured For Co Mayo Nursing Homes

The government have announced funding of €15 million for nursing homes in Co Mayo, which Taoiseach Enda Kenny said will make a "significant difference for elderly people in our communities".

Announcing the funding, the Taoiseach said: "Six Nursing Homes in Mayo are to receive a total of €15,070,000 in funding for upgrades and refurbishment."

"The Sacred Heart Home in Castlebar will receive €13,480,000, St. Agustine's Community Nursing Unity Ballina will receive €680,000, Belmullet District Hospital (Including Aras Deirbhile) will receive €450,000, St. Fionnan's Community Nursing Unit in Achill will receive €320,000, the Dalton Community Nursing Unit in Claremorris will receive €80,000 and the McBride Home in Westport will receive €60,000."

"This very significant investment reflects the Government's determination to maintain the current numbers of public nursing home beds and to ensure all public nursing homes will be compliant with HIQA standards by 2021.

"This is part of planned national investment for 90 centres, which between them have 4,723 beds, between now and 2021. This includes the replacement of 33 existing facilities and refurbishment or extension of 57 others. This programme of investment will also deliver 215 additional beds.

"The investment is made up of €148 million in the current HSE capital plan and a further €237 million from the Capital Investment Plan. Ten facilities worth €150 million are also being funded by public private partnerships (PPP).

"The majority of residents in nursing homes in Mayo receive an excellent quality of care but some of the facilities available are not up to date. This funding will ensure that the best facilities are available for residents and their families in the future.

"We will continue to work to ensure that funding is available for important services like nursing homes and health care. Fine Gael has a long term plan to keep the recovery going. Our plan will deliver more new jobs, spread right across the country, jobs that pay more than welfare, where hard work is rewarded. The plan will also deliver affordable, sustainable investments in services, like nursing homes, using the resources from growing employment."

(MH/LM)