The last 15 remaining residents in a scandal hit nursing home in north Dublin will be moved to alternative accommodation over the weekend, it was confirmed today.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) northern area has been working to find places for all the residents of Leas Cross Nursing home after its owner, John Aherne, vowed to close it next Monday.
"Since June we have been speaking to relatives and family inviting them to seek alternative accommodation. We had moved to identify homes in the area where there were vacancies," a spokesman for the HSE said.
"As of June 20th there were 90 residents, at the last update yesterday afternoon, there were 15 at that point. We are working towards relocating them over the weekend."
It is believed alternative places have been identified for all the remaining residents and there will not be a single resident in the home after the weekend.
Two liaison nurses will also continue to work for several weeks to meet with residents over any concerns and to ensure the move to alternative accommodation is trouble-free.
Earlier this month, Mr Aherne, claimed due to the actions of the HSE it was no longer possible to continue providing a nursing home service and the facility would close on August 1st.
The facility came under fire after RTE's Prime Timeinvestigative programme revealed footage of what appeared to be an elderly woman restrained in a chair against her will, a care worker harassing a resident and other incidents.
The Government has confirmed all deaths which occurred at the nursing home, or patients who died immediately after they were transferred from it, would be independently investigated. The owner has claimed the facility had voluntarily offered to establish any new staffing structures the HSE deemed necessary following the broadcast of the programme.
After agreeing to work in partnership, Mr Aherne had said the HSE had then moved with consultation to effectively close the home. However, at the time the HSE said the proprietor of the care home indicated he could not remedy its concerns and it had no option but to notify residents of their worries.