Care home at risk of closing over funding shortfall in 'outrageous backtracking' from Govt
St Joseph's Shankill, a dementia-specific nursing home in south Dublin and Ireland's largest dementia-only care facility, has confirmed to families and staff this weekend that it will stop taking residential admissions with immediate effect.
Management at the home have called on Health Minister Simon Harris to intervene as the move has raised concerns the facility could be forced to shut because of a funding crisis, threatening 100 jobs and 60 bed spaces for people living in the unit.
It comes after Health Minister Simon Harris made a commitment last month to ensure the facility stays open.
Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Health, Stephen Donnelly, said that the news is an "outrageous backtracking" from the Government.
“Minister Simon Harris was very quick to take to the airwaves to reassure his voters that St Joseph’s would be saved when it first revealed it was in danger of closing its doors in a funding crisis. He made similar promises on the floor of the Dáil.
“I have been in close contact with St. Joseph's during their negotiations to secure sustainable funding. It is welcome that progress has been made on the day service, but almost no progress has been made on the residential costs side.
Residential costs accounts for 93% of the total budget, so without movement on this, the entire facility will have to close.
"The time for empty promises is over. St. Joseph's must remain open. And for that to happen, they need a level of payment from the State that covers their costs.
"The government should be rolling out St. Joseph's model around Ireland, not forcing it to close. We must remember that the people who live in St Joseph’s are some of the most vulnerable in our society.
"Patients who are cared for by its dedicated staff and volunteers are given a life and a home that will now tragically be denied to others.
