€250m nursing home PPP project still empty as delays push first residents to 2026

Frustration has been expressed locally as people can see beds through the windows of some units but delays persist in moving in residents. File picture

A €250m public-private partnership (PPP) to build and open seven new nursing homes by 2024 has yet to house a single resident.

March 2026 is now the earliest date being predicted for residents to move in, with only two units handed to the HSE so far, a joint investigation by the Irish Examiner and Radio Kerry has found.

The nursing homes, with 530 beds in total, are located in Midleton, Cork City, Killarney, and Clonmel as well as Thomastown, Athlone, and Ardee.

Frustration has been expressed locally as people can see beds through the windows of some units but delays persist in moving in residents.

In December 2022, one co-funder, the European Investment Bank, predicted the project will see local care “transformed across Ireland” with a completion date of 2024.

The units were built by a joint venture company, consisting of John Sisk & Sons with Equitix, which will maintain the sites for 25 years.

Under the model, the State will provide the care, but the Cork and Kerry units have not been handed over yet to HSE Southwest.

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This is “a complex commercial and legal process and remains under active management by the HSE nationally”, a spokeswoman said.

The Killarney nursing home, at 130 beds, and St Finbarr’s, at 105, are the largest units under the scheme.

Construction at Clonmel is expected to finish by March and it will open for residents by June, HSE Dublin and Southeast said.

However, it also said this is “an estimate based on current progress and is subject to change”. 

Staff interviews have taken place for the nursing home.

At Thomastown, the HSE is “actively working” with the PPP company for access before the end of December. Hiring has started.

The unit at Ardee was handed to HSE Dublin and Northeast on November 17.

“The plan is for the community nursing unit to be operational by mid-2026,” a spokesman said.

The Athlone unit was handed to HSE Dublin and Midlands on October 30. Final snagging will run to December 5, it said.

Residents are expected to move in by June. It had a pre-registration meeting with Hiqa on Monday.

A spokeswoman for Equitix said it has “no comment to make” on the delays to the projects. 

A spokesman for John Sisk & Sons also said the company is not commenting for now.

Records from the Dáil and HSE regional health forums show councillors and TDs raising local frustrations.

Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said: “There have been delays in completion of the overall [programme]."

Midleton should be ready for handover next month, she told Fine Gael TD Noel McCarthy.

There are just 80 public short-stay beds for older people in Cork now, the HSE told Labour cllr Peter Horgan. 

Kieran O’ Donnell, minister of State for older people, said he expects the Killarney unit to be "in operation" by March.