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Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland
Rostrevor

Rostrevor House pays outstanding wages to all but one of its former staff

13 of the 14 employees who were due an average of €4,000 each get their money – the other one is the whistleblower.

ALL BUT ONE of the former staff at the Rostrevor House nursing home have secured their outstanding wages and redundancy pay following talks between SIPTU and the nursing home’s owner.

The 14 staff, all of whom are foreign nationals, were due an average of €4,000 each in their statutory redundancy and outstanding holiday pay as well as their P45 forms and employer references.

All of the staff had been laid off on Tuesday when the home was shut, and its last residents transferred elsewhere.

Some of the employees had their payments sent by courier last night, while the remainder had received their payments today following further talks between SIPTU representatives and the nursing home’s director, Sarah Lipsett.

SIPTU said the single worker who is still awaiting the payment of their entitlements played a central role in reporting the alleged abuse of elderly residents to the statutory authorities.

A SIPTU spokeswoman told TheJournal.ie that the union would continue to engage with the Lipsett family to secure a reference, P45 and outstanding wages for that member of staff.

“We remain very very disappointed and concerned about this individual, and we will pursue her rights and entitlements with both the employer and, if necessary, a third party,” she said.

Rostrevor House was permanently closed by court order on Wednesday after Dublin District Court judge Victor Blake said he was satisfied elderly residents in the facility were at risk.

The nursing home was the subject of allegations of serious elder abuse, which were denied by the owners.

SIPTU is also calling on the Government to provide former workers at Rostrevor House  with alternative employment, and to ensure that the staff who had reported the alleged abuse are protected.

Lipsett sisters may sue watchdog over nursing home allegations >