A nursing home in Co Kerry that the HSE took over last month after inspectors found it in “chaos” during an outbreak of Covid-19 will close on Wednesday.
Residents at Oaklands Nursing Home near Listowel are being transferred to other facilities with just three of the 23 residents awaiting placement.
That transfer will be finalised later on Wednesday.
Oireachtas members had been told the home was due to close at the end of the week.
The HSE was directed to take over the running of the private nursing home “and make alternative arrangements” for residents by court order on November 18th.
Nineteen residents and staff had contracted Covid-19, and nine died.
The HSE has been working with families to find accommodation to allow people settle into their new facilities in advance of Christmas, it said.
It said it could not run the home on a permanent basis.
According to Hiqa there are 12 registered nursing homes in the area – four in Listowel, Tralee, 25 minutes from Listowel, and Newcastlewest, 30 minutes away in Co Limerick.
Three residents have been placed temporarily in the community hospital in Listowel, it is understood.