No definitive set of standards for nursing home inspections is yet in place, almost two years after the revelations of abuse and poor care at Leas Cross nursing home, Fine Gael has claimed.
The party's health spokesman Dr Liam Twomey said it was wrong that nobody had been held to account, he was amazed at how slowly things happened in the wake of the controversy and that "nobody took responsibility".
Dr Twomey was speaking after Minister for Health Mary Harney announced the establishment of a commission of investigation into Leas Cross, the North Dublin nursing home closed by the HSE after an RTE Prime Timedocumentary highlighted abuses of elderly patients there.
Ms Harney said a review of the systems in place and of the roles and responses of all the main parties involved in Leas Cross was now required.
The commission will investigate issues arising from the report of consultant geriatrician Prof Des O'Neill who carried out a review of deaths between 2002 and 2005 at the nursing home; the role of relevant parties including the HSE in relation to ownership operation, management and supervision of the nursing home; and the circumstances regarding the transfer of patients to the home.
Ms Harney recently published draft national standards for residential care settings for older people. "These standards, when finalised, will apply to all residential settings - public, private and voluntary - where older people are cared for and for which registration is required."
Ms Harney stressed that the Government "is committed to ensuring the safety of all our citizens but in particular the most vulnerable in our society".
Dr Twomey said: "The only good result was that Leas Cross nursing home was closed." He asked: "When did people know? Where are some of those people now? Some of those heavily involved continue to work for the HSE and some were asked by the HSE to draw up sets of standards for nursing homes."
He added: "There has been a failure to respect old people. Of the €400 million put aside to fund the repayments of the illegal nursing home charges, only €39 million has been repaid".
Seán Ryan (Lab, Dublin North) said it took a TV documentary "to get the establishment to finally acknowledge what they knew was taking place and to take action". The problems "were all officially known about but people in areas of responsibility were not prepared to take the decision".
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Sinn Féin's health spokesman hoped the relatives of deceased Leas Cross residents "will be given full access and be permitted to tell their stories" because "they have valuable evidence to give regarding the treatment of their loved ones".
Green Party health spokesman John Gormley said many private nursing homes "cut corners in many areas. I refer to the fact that they employed low-cost labour, that is, people from abroad who cannot speak English or communicate properly".
