Listen back as Waterford TD and Junior Minister for Older People, Mary Butler, talks about a spate of nursing home closures nationally in the last three months.

Concerns have been raised that a number of private operators are de-registering their nursing homes with HIQA to instead temporarily house Ukrainian refugees, for which they will receive a fee from the State.

The conversation here begins with news of the closure of two homes in Waterford, Rockshire Care Centre and Maypark House Nursing Home, because they feel the financial and other pressures on small nursing homes are too much.

You can read more about those closures specifically here.