The Health Information and Quality Authority has obtained an interim court order to effectively shut down a private nursing home in Dublin.
The Health Service Executive has now taken charge of Rostrevor nursing home in Rathgar and is trying to find alternative placements for the home's elderly residents.
Hiqa made an ex parte application to cancel the registration of the home at Dublin District Court on Friday but details of the order only emerged today.
The order was sought because of concerns for the safety and welfare of the home's residents.
The home's owners now have 28 days to file an objection to the granting of the interim order cancelling the home's registration.
It is the third time Hiqa has closed a private nursing home since it took over independent inspections of all public and private nursing homes.
Today a notice on Hiqa's website states: "Pursuant to Sections 59 and 60 of the Health Act 2007, an interim order was made by the District Court in Court 50, Richmond Courts, North Brunswick Street, Dublin 7 on 3 June 2011 cancelling the registration of Rostrevor Nursing Home, Rathgar, Dublin 6, as a designated centre under Part 8 of the Health Act 2007, with effect from 5.00pm on 3 June 2011. In accordance with Section 64 of the Health Act 2007 the HSE was directed to take charge of Rostrevor Nursing Home from such time and to make alternative arrangements for the residents of Rostrevor nursing home as soon as practicable".
Rostrevor nursing home has been in the news several times in recent years. In September 2005 the owner of the home was fined €8,000 after pleading guilty to 10 breaches in regulations relating to the care and welfare of residents.
The Health Service Executive (South Western Area) unsuccessfully sought to close down the home in the High Court in 2004 when it said 23 older people were at risk because of improper administration of drugs and staff shortages.