A POTENTIAL buyer is in negotiations to purchase Aperee nursing home in Bantry, the receiver appointed to oversee the care home deal has revealed.
The receiver confirmed that the price and terms have been agreed, and they are now in exclusive negotiations with an as yet unnamed buyer who is already involved in the nursing home business.
‘This is a good news day for Bantry,’ said receiver Gerard Murphy.
‘Given that they are already operating in this line of business, people can be assured that the situation for the nursing home in Bantry is now very secure.’
He said that the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) requirements to upgrade the building to comply with fire safety regulations were completed and signed off in April at a cost of €750,000, which was borne by the current owner and the receiver.
‘Now, it’s all down to paperwork, but the contract is likely to be done and dusted in the next month or two. The final hurdle will be the completion of regulatory affairs,’ said Mr Murphy who explained that the buyer will also have to formally apply to Hiqa to become the approved operator.
Once that application goes in, Mr Murphy said it could takebetween a few weeks and six months to finalise.
Although Hiqa is currently not allowing Bantry Aperee to take on additional residents, Mr Murphy said the company is now ‘probably more financially secure and compliant than it has been in years’.
The news has come as a tremendous relief to the residents living in the centre and their relatives who have lived under a kind of shadow since a receiver was first appointed almost a year ago in July 2024.
Concerns, at the time, were fuelled by the closure of a similar centre in Belgooly, which resulted in vulnerable people scrambling to find suitable, alternative accommodation.
The fear locally was that the centre, which was formerly known as Deerpark, would close and that the 29 residents would have to find alternative accommodation – an impossible task given the price and the lack of availability of housing.
A deadline of May 22 had been set for the receipt of tenders, and it is understood that there were a number of quotes considered. It is hoped that the successful bidder will be able to reinstate Aperee to its original number of 46 residents.
Referring to the RTE Prime Time report on abuse in Irish nursing homes, Mr Murphy said: ‘In relation to clinical care and looking after residents, we don’t have those issues, and neither are there any records of those issues in Bantry.’
During an unannounced inspection by Hiqa last November, there were 29 residents living in the centre on the day and 21 vacant beds.
The inspectors met with all the residents to gain an insight into their experience of living in the centre and their quality of life.
Residents told inspectors that they were happy and that they were cared for by great staff, with one resident stating that the staff ‘couldn’t do enough for me’.
The inspectors said it was evident that the residents were supported to enjoy a good quality of life and that they had many opportunities for social engagement and meaningful activities.
