The Health Service Executive (HSE) plans to suspend admissions to two further nursing homes in north Dublin and Wicklow.
This follows confirmation yesterday that it had already suspended public and private admissions to five nursing homes in the eastern region after inspectors raised concerns in recent visits.
In a move criticised by Age Action Ireland, the HSE has refused to name the nursing homes involved,saying this was "for operational reasons". However, St Doolagh's Park nursing home in Balgriffin, Dublin, yesterday confirmed that the HSE had suspended admissions to it since last month.
It is understood that three of the other homes involved are: Bedford House in Balbriggan, Co Dublin; the Tara nursing home in Bray, Co Wicklow; and the Blainroe Lodge nursing home, also in Co Wicklow.
Last night Minister for Health Mary Harney, said: "The HSE have assured me that none of the existing patients are in any danger, they are all being well cared for."
She understood the issue of concern was that the homes did not have sufficient staff to take in more residents.
In a statement, St Doolagh's nursing home confirmed that the HSE had suspended "HSE-secured admissions" to the home on October 25th, following an earlier inspection report which found that St Doolagh's "needed to bring its documentation and procedures - as well as the training of its staff in the implementation of documentation and procedures - into line with best practices".
The home's statement added: "The HSE said that the inspectors are satisfied that an appropriate level of care is being provided to all patients at the facility. St Doolagh's will have fully implemented all of the required measures by mid-January. The temporary suspension of HSE-secured admissions will be lifted at that point."
Paul Costello, owner of the Tara nursing home, said the HSE had admitted a new resident to the home as recently as Monday of this week, following an inspection earlier that day.
As a result, he said it was "baffling" to hear reports yesterday saying that admissions to the home had been suspended. He had requested clarification from the HSE over the issue, and would welcome a copy of the report relating to Monday's inspection.
Mervyn Smith of the Blainroe Lodge nursing home also said he was "shocked" to hear media reports about the suspension of admissions to the home. He and his legal team had endeavoured to contact the HSE throughout yesterday over the issue, he said.
"They have not communicated anything verbally or in writing on this," he said.
A spokesman for Bedford House declined to respond when The Irish Times called to the home yesterday. However, a staff member indicated that it had received no notification of suspensions to the home.
In its statement, the HSE said: "In all these cases, issues have been identified by our inspectors and a process to ensure remedial action is actively under way. In fact, one of these homes is due to have its suspension lifted over the next week having complied with all the recommendations of the inspectors."
Tadhg Daly, chief executive of the Irish Nursing Home Organisation said the HSE had released information to the media without contacting the home owners, despite a commitment from the HSE to "flag" concerns with homes immediately.
"That has not happened. There is no natural justice at all on this issue," he added. The organisation has sought an urgent meeting with the head of the HSE Prof Brendan Drumm to discuss how the matter was handled.
At the publication of Prof Des O'Neill's report into the Leas Cross nursing home last Friday, the HSE first revealed that admissions had been halted to a small number of homes.