Reilly: HSE cannot continue to rely on whistleblowers

The Health Minister James Reilly has said HIQA will have to look at its assessments to ensure it will not always have to rely on a whistleblower to report allegations of bad behaviour and abuse.

It follows the closure of Rostrevor Nursing Home on Orwell Road in Rathgar in Dublin last week, amid allegations of abuse of patients.

It emerged over the weekend the home received almost €700,000 in subsidies from the HSE last year.

But Minister Reilly said it was not unreasonable that the facility received the money, given they had patients staying there.

He said the allegations were "disturbing" and highlighted HIQA's role in the case, saying it will have to look at how it carries out assessments into the future.