Owner's reaction: The owner of Leas Cross nursing home, John Aherne, said yesterday that he and other members of staff were shocked by allegations concerning the institution when first broadcast on RTÉ's Prime Time last year.
Mr Aherne, who had not yet had the opportunity to read the report yesterday, told The Irish Times he should have been informed of any failings in care standards, but that the HSE did not raise any concerns with him.
"I am the owner of the nursing home. I have no medical background myself. If anything was wrong, the inspection team should have informed me . . . We received certainly no more than four reports over seven years."
All four reports listed relatively minor concerns, such as "lightbulbs not working", he added.
Mr Aherne said he felt sadness on the publication of the report yesterday. "My feeling is of sadness for the people of Leas Cross - the residents, the families and the staff. There's a lot of negative stories going around, but there was a vast amount of good done in Leas Cross. It's a very sad day for the families and residents.
"Leas Cross was a beautiful, state-of-the-art building. There was never a word about hygiene, or from the health and safety inspectors, and people were shocked when they heard this. If there were any failings, they happened on the medical side, and I had no experience of the medical side, the same as many nursing home owners around the country.
"We had 93 residents at the time of the programme. Only two were discharged at the request of their families, and within 36 hours, both came back," he said.
Mr Aherne said that, in the seven years that Leas Cross was open, he never refused funding for staff, materials or food when advised of a need.
"I have to take some responsibility for Leas Cross, because I'm the owner. Management also has to take some responsibility. But certainly, a large amount of responsibility must be taken by the HSE inspectors for not informing me of what was needed," he said.
He would also co-operate with any future inquiries into the nursing home.
"Whatever investigation has to be done, let it be done. I will assist any investigator if I can sit down with someone who would give me a fair hearing."