Relief and celebration as residents finally move in to Nenagh Community Nursing Unit

There was widespread relief and celebration in Nenagh this week as the long-awaited Community Nursing Unit officially reopened, just a fortnight after local representatives criticised the delay in getting the €24 million facility operational.

The new 50-bed unit at Tyone began welcoming residents on Thursday morning, following months of uncertainty over when the building would open.

Only two weeks ago, Tipperary TD Alan Kelly described the situation as “unacceptable uncertainty”, highlighting that the purpose-built nursing home had remained unused despite being completed for over a year. Speaking in the Dáil, Deputy Kelly said it was “unacceptable that the facility remains closed when we are in the middle of a nursing home bed crisis”, and accused the HSE and the Department of Health of failing to plan adequately for staffing and registration.

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Minister of State Kieran O’Donnell had told the Dáil that a HIQA application for the new unit had been lodged and that once registration was complete, staff and residents would transfer from St Conlon’s. He said October was a “reasonable” timeline for the opening, which has now been achieved.

The reopening follows strong local campaigning to ensure the facility was returned to its intended use after concerns it might be used as a step-down facility for University Hospital Limerick. In May 2024, thousands of people marched through Nenagh in protest, calling for the building to be used for local residential care.

“Nenagh Needs Its A&E and the Mid-West Hospital Campaign are so thrilled that this great day has arrived at last,” the group said in a statement. “Believe it or not, members of our campaign travelled from across the Midwest to march for you last year at the protest led by Deputy Alan Kelly TD and Councillor Séamie Morris. Enjoy your new home and go easy on the all-night parties.”

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Independent Councillor Séamie Morris said the move marked a major milestone for the town.

“The move is on. The long awaited opening of the 50 bed Nursing Home is happening from 11 am tomorrow when staff and staff will move over to the upstairs of the unit,” he said. “I want to thank Deputy Alan Kelly TD and his team of Cllrs for their hard work getting funding for the new nursing home and also ensuring we got the unit back and former St Conlons boss Elaine Flynn and her staff for fitting out the original unit and their patience on getting it back also to the people of Nenagh the patients, the Unions and staff who marched and used their voices to ensure that our new nursing home was returned to us.”

Cllr Morris asked for patience while the new unit is “bedded in” and called on the HSE to work with unions to put rosters in place that ensure safety and allow the remaining 25 beds to be occupied as soon as possible.

“These are exciting time for health services in Nenagh with a new Health centre about to open in Tyone and 40 more beds committed to Nenagh Hospital which ensures the future of quality health services in Nenagh,” he said. “In fact the whole site is fast becoming a centre of excellence. Add to this the 67 Respond homes being built nearby we are lucky to have such momentum in Nenagh.”

Deputy Alan Kelly also welcomed the reopening.

“Delighted with this,” he said. “Thanks to my colleagues Cllr Louise Morgan Walsh and Cllr Fiona Bonfield along with Cllr Séamie Morris and thanks for his kind words. We fought to get this built. We fought to get it open. Tomorrow will be a special day for the residents, the staff and their families. Delighted.”

The reopening of the Nenagh Community Nursing Unit has been warmly welcomed across the community, marking the end of years of campaigning and a significant boost for local healthcare in North Tipperary.