Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 January 2026
56. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if she will ensure that Saint Anne's ward in Saint Vincent’s nursing unit in Mountmellick, County Laois is kept in use when the new wing is open to allow for the capacity of the hospital to go from 58 to 83; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4438/26]
View answerSt. Vincent's Community Nursing Unit, Mountmellick, Co. Laois, is a public nursing home that currently provides 56 long-stay beds and 1 short-stay bed.
Phase one of the current capital project at St. Vincent’s is substantially complete and consists of a new two-storey development containing fifty single en-suite rooms, adjacent and linked to the existing facility.
When complete, St. Vincent’s will be registered for 58 beds, which includes the 8-bed dementia unit in the existing building, which will continue to operate.
HSE Older Persons Services are currently in the initiation phase of project planning for the utilisation of the old building, taking account of the demand for additional rehab and long and short-stay beds in the CNU.
The current residents in St. Anne’s ward will transfer to the new building. Future uses of St Anne’s ward will form part of the assessment in respect of the future use of St. Vincent’s campus.
The scale and scope of future additional phasing of capital works at St. Vincent’s is currently being reviewed by the HSE, and once completed, the specific scope for Phase 2 of the capital project will be determined.
