Only six new nursing homes opened in 2024, but Ireland needs 25,000 more beds by 2040

In November, the ESRI projected between 19,505 and 24,975 additional long-stay nursing home beds are needed by 2040. This is in addition to between 2,456 and 3,287 short-stay beds. File photo

Just six new nursing homes registered with Hiqa during 2024, bringing 443 new beds into a system falling short of projected annual need.

In November, the ESRI projected between 19,505 and 24,975 additional long-stay nursing home beds are needed by 2040. This is in addition to between 2,456 and 3,287 short-stay beds.

All new nursing homes, whether public or private, must be registered with Hiqa before they can open.

“In 2024, six new nursing homes were registered which provided a total of 443 new beds for residents,” a Hiqa spokesman said. Full year figures for 2025 are not yet available.

The time it takes to register a new centre depends on how long it takes to provide information on items including floor plans, meeting standards, quality of the premises and other requirements.

“The chief inspector is committed to prioritising the response to any application that is submitted to it,” he added.

Meanwhile, questions are being raised about delays to a €250m public-private partnership nursing home project, reported in the last week.

These seven facilities are built in Cork, Kerry and Tipperary but not yet open for residents despite pledges to complete this by last year. The delays are of concern to advocate for older people Majella Beattie at Care Champions.

She pointed out there are differences in services available to residents depending on whether their home is State-run or private due to how these are funded.

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“If you are living in a public nursing home and say a year later you need a wheelchair or a specialised mattress, the HSE will provide it,” she said, adding this is the same as the HSE does for people living at home.

“The public health nurses will sort it out for you. But if you need those in a private nursing home, you will pay for them. It’s a massive difference.” 

The majority of nursing home care is delivered by private homes on a funding model often criticised for being inadequate.

“They need to get residents into those new homes,” she said. “They’ve come up with a great plan, seven new homes with 530 beds but nobody knows why these beds haven’t been delivered. Why are those beds sitting there still?” 

She called for information to be released on what lies behind the delays. She added there is “ a crisis” in nursing home care as evidenced by the number of families contacting Care Champions for help every month.