€24 million nursing home in Tipperary stays empty as bureaucracy drags on

A €24 million state-of-the-art community nursing unit in Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, remains unused for its intended purpose more than a year after completion, sparking frustration among local representatives and residents.

The facility, initially planned as a modern home for older patients, has instead been temporarily repurposed by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to ease overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick.

READ ALSO: Nenagh Municipal District hosts civic reception for Nenagh Ormond RFC

Deputy Alan Kelly, a Tipperary TD, pressed the Government in the Dáil on Monday over the unit’s prolonged inactivity, lamenting what he described as a failure to prepare staff despite a year-long lead time.

“I don’t want to hear anything about staffing not being available – there had been a whole bloody year to get the people,” he said, noting that panels of potential employees are waiting to be assigned. He questioned why the facility, promised for opening in the third quarter of 2025, had yet to admit residents.

Minister of State at the Department of Health Kieran O’Donnell acknowledged local frustration but cited procedural requirements. He explained that the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) must complete an assessment before residents from St Conlon’s Nursing Home and others in the area can be transferred.

The minister stated, “it takes on average about 10 working days to assess an application. Once that is complete, the residents that are in St Conlon’s will be brought to the new nursing home to pick out the rooms that they wish,” he said, emphasising that these residents would be prioritised.

For a region with pressing needs for elder care, the idling of a modern, fully equipped nursing facility is a reminder that even substantial investment cannot guarantee timely service without the bureaucratic and staffing mechanisms to match.

READ NEXT: Famous Tipperary castle set for major makeover as council takes charge