HSE urged to use St Luke's Hospital as nursing home

The HSE is being urged to use St Luke's Hospital in south Dublin as a nursing home once its cancer services are transferred to St James's Hospital.

Fianna Fáil TD Chris Andrews says that older people in the community are being forced to stay in nursing homes as far away as Kildare, Wicklow and Meath.

He says a lack of step-down beds for older people throughout the country is a major problem, with 450 people forced to stay in hospital over the Christmas period because of the shortage.