HIQA CHIEF EXECUTIVE Angela Fitzgerald agreed today that the RTÉ Investigates programme highlighting poor treatment and practice within two nursing homes run by Emeis Ireland was the “worst” she had seen in her role as head of the health watchdog.

“I was shocked and appalled, and felt let down by the provider,” Fitzgerald said today, acknowledging public confidence in the Health Information and Quality Authority had been “damaged” by the revelations.

Speaking to the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Fitzgerald apologised to those impacted by the abuses, and said Hiqa had “a lot more to do as regulator”.

During the hearing, Fine Gael TD James Geoghegan had asked Fitzgerald if she had ever seen anything worse during her three years at head of the organisation. She agreed she had not, adding: “I hadn’t seen the type of behaviours, my colleagues as inspectors had never witnessed the behaviours there.”

What was broadcast, she said, “was truly shocking and should never have happened”.

The programme, which aired in June, involved two RTÉ researchers working undercover in two different homes; one in The Residence Portlaoise, and one in Beneavin Manor in Glasnevin.

Emeis Ireland, formerly known as Orpea, operates 27 nursing homes across the country having entering the Irish market in 2022.

Almost 200 notifications of ‘alleged, suspected or confirmed’ abuse of residents at Beneavin were received by Hiqa between 2022 and June this year, according to an interim report released two weeks after the RTÉ programme aired. The Residence had 40 such notifications. 

Asked at the committee how the Glasnevin home was allowed to remain open, Susan Cliffe, Deputy Chief Inspector with Hiqa, told TDs: “We wouldn’t close a nursing home unless there was absolutely no other option.”

Cliffe said Beneavin Manor has been inspected three times since the RTÉ programme aired, and nothing seen had warranted closure. She said the watchdog is taking regulatory action against both nursing homes featured in the RTÉ programme, and both now have limits on admissions.

Fine Gael TD James Geoghegan, said the “natural consequence” of the RTÉ Investigates programmes is to question whether Hiqa is “fit for purpose” as an inspection body.

“I find it hard to believe that after 20 years of Hiqa being active that something like this could happen”, he added.

22 of the nursing homes operated by Emeis have been inspected since the RTÉ Investigates programme aired, with one inspected a second time, the committee was told today.

Seven nursing homes in Ireland were closed in 2024 due to findings of non-compliance. In the previous year, one was closed.

Hiqa said that 0ver 80% of nursing home visits are unannounced. However, several TDs noted that the treatment uncovered by the RTÉ Investigates programme was unlikely to be identified without an undercover inspection.

The Hiqa officials at the committee said they were unclear if they are permitted to carry out undercover inspections and would have to look into the legality.