Sinn Féin TD for Dublin Bay South Chris Andrews has called on the HSE to step in and take over the St Mary’s Nursing Home on Merrion Road, Dublin, after the High Court appointed a liquidator to the company that operates the centre.

The news is of major concern to the 54 residents and their families, as well as the 65 staff employed at the centres, 20 of whom contracted Covid-19 while working on the frontline in recent months.

Speaking today, Teachta Andrews said: “St Mary’s provides an essential convalescent service to patients from right across the city of Dublin and the state. 

“With a sizable capacity of 54 beds, it is a vital resource that generally has an occupancy of over 90%, which demonstrates how important and necessary the centre is to our health service. 

“Moving residents, many of whom have been living in this centre for a number of years, in the midst of the current pandemic would be a cause of great trauma and stress on residents and their families.  

“I also have strong concerns for the 65 staff employed at the centre.

“This a workforce that endured much during this pandemic with over 20 contracting Covid-19 while fulfilling their responsibilities on the frontline.

“With one third of the staff working at St Mary’s for less than two years, they will not receive redundancy and now will not receive any payment for July.

“We must ask ourselves if this is how we want the frontline workers who did so much to provide care for those in need during the Covid-19 pandemic to be treated.

“The HSE and Minister for Health must act fast to prevent the closure of St Mary’s. I’m calling on the HSE to examine the requirements and feasibility of such a move.

“I have written to both the Minister for Health and the Sisters of Charity asking them to meet with the Save St Mary’s Nursing Home group.”