24/02/2026
The Alliance recently met with Minister for Older Persons, Kieran O'Donnell and Department of Health officials to discuss a range of urgent policy and operational priorities for the nursing home sector in 2026.
CEO Shane Scanlan was joined by Liny Raju Meparathil, Director of Nursing, Carysfort Nursing Home.
Our discussion focused on practical reforms that will directly improve sustainability, fairness, and resident care, including:
📖 Amendments to the Nursing Home Support Scheme Act (2009) to incorporate a Cost of Care Model
🆕️ Changes to the Valuation Act (2001) as amended to remove residents’ bedrooms from commercial rates assessments, recognising that these rooms are people’s homes, not business space
💯 Progressing regulatory improvements with HIQA, including greater transparency on ultimate beneficiaries from nursing home operations to ensure consistent oversight across all registered providers
💻 The impact of NTPF deed changes to digitised contracts, and the need for an independent review mechanism where rate negotiations break down
🌏 Workforce sustainability, including adjusting the Irish and EU 50 /50 non-EEA staffing rule to 40/60 to reflect current demand and realities facing the sector
🏥 Increasing availability of incontinence wear from the HSE to better meet residents with higher dependency needs (4 to 6 in 24 hr period)
✅️ Introducing another financial support scheme similar for Nursing Homes to last year’s RPU scheme which the Minister committed to progress, with details to follow
🚨 Pressures arising from visa MAR threshold increases, auto-enrolment costs, and wider operational inflation
We also acknowledged the significant budget secured this year for older persons’ services👏
The priority now is ensuring those funds flow through to the nursing homes and residents who need them most 🤝
We appreciate the Minister’s openness and commitment to continued collaboration.
