New 101-bed nursing home opens in Portlaoise
Peter Burke, Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment, cutting the ribbon to mark the official opening of The Residence Portlaoise. Also pictured with the minister; are Neal McGroarty CEO emeis Ireland, Elaine Keane COO, Alan Donnelly CFO, Deputy Charles Flanagan TD, Avril Finnerty Dir. of Nursing The Residence Portlaoise and Cathy Jones CHRO emeis Ireland Photos: Joe Conroy
A NEW nursing home was officially opened in Portlaoise on Friday, with space for up to 101 residents and the creation of about 100 jobs.
The Residence, located at The Maltings on Coote Street, was formally opened by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Peter Burke.
The large private nursing home is run by the ‘emeis’ group, which also operates Kilminchy Lodge in Portlaoise and 22 other nursing homes nationwide, as well as one homecare business.
The Residence has 101 single ensuite bedrooms each with a television, personal telephone and nurse call system. There are 12 spacious lounge/communal rooms for residents along with large grounds and gardens, where they can join in social activities or spend time with family and friends.
Emeis Ireland Ltd said in a statement on Friday that The Residence ‘will provide compassionate care for 101 residents, while creating 100 job opportunities’.
The company said that it will employ over 200 people in the Portlaoise area by 2025, divided between The Residence and Kilminchy Lodge.
The opening follows just over two years of work on the project, from site identification to acquisition, detailed design, contractor appointment, construction phase and preparation for registration.
Speaking at the opening, Minister Burke said: “This occasion marks a significant milestone in emeis’s commitment to ensuring the well-being, care and dignity of our elderly citizens, who have spent their lives building our communities.
“I am also pleased to see the ambitious growth plans for emeis in Ireland, with scheduled expansions in Kilkenny and Dublin in the coming months, culminating in 2,700 vital jobs nationally and boosting local economies growing to 3200 by 2025.” Emeis chief executive Neal McGroarty described The Residence as a state-of-the-art facility that is already providing “vital, personalised nursing and residential care services” to residents and the local community.
He said: “With plans to provide employment to over 100 skilled staff, The Residence Portlaoise is also offering rewarding and meaningful career possibilities at a time when Laois, and indeed Ireland, increasingly needs vital nursing home care for a growing and ageing population.
“Our expansion plans enable us to continue to foster the highest standards of care, services and links with local communities and other stakeholders, including the HSE and acute hospitals, as we move forward.”
