Fianna Fáil TD for North Tipperary and Northwest Kilkenny, Ryan O’Meara has today provided some much-needed clarity in relation to the challenges being faced by former staff of the Nenagh Rehabilitation Unit who were employed by Bartra Healthcare.
Speaking on this today, Deputy O’Meara said: “A number of staff members contacted me this week with concerns about misinformation around their employment status that was attributed locally to another local public representative, and they asked that I provide clarity on the situation as I've been working with him on this issue for a number of weeks now.
“I raised this issue in the Dáil a number of weeks ago asking the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, to provide clarity around any potential agreement that existed between Bartra Healthcare, the private operator of the Nenagh Rehabilitation Unit, and the HSE that would have seen these staff members automatically become HSE staff once the unit was transferred back to the HSE for use as a Community Nursing Unit.
“Following this intervention in the Dáil, I met with approximately 40 employees of the Nenagh Rehabilitation Unit, and they provided me with a letter that was given to them on the 3rd of July 2025 by Bartra Healthcare. In the letter Bartra Healthcare told their staff that their employment would automatically transfer from Bartra to HSE Midwest in August 2025. This never happened and I contacted both the Minister for Health and the HSE to seek clarity on whether an agreement was in existence or not, as I was personally very sceptical of such a commitment.
“On the 22nd of September 2025, I received a response from the HSE in relation to this matter, which stated among other matters that, "The letter attached of July 3 does not reflect an actual position of the HSE and is misleading. The letter also went on to state ,“I understand in addition to the attached, that many employees have been issued contracts, both fixed term of varying duration and in addition, more concerningly, a significant number of permanent contracts with Bartra. This was despite Bartra knowingly entering into a fixed term 12-month contract of service with the HSE to provide rehabilitation services. We recognise the difficult position that this has placed the Barta employees in.
“I am very concerned about the manner in which the employees of Nenagh Rehabilitation Unit have been treated by Bartra Healthcare. I've been informed by those former employees that the matter is now before the Workplace Relations Commission with an urgent hearing scheduled for next week.
“It is crucial to address the comments made about former staff earlier this week on social media and in local media. They wish to make it clear that they were not promised jobs by the HSE or their union. Instead, Bartra Healthcare communicated with them in July, indicating that they would be transferred to the HSE. The HSE have since clarified that no such agreement ever existed.
“The reason I raised this issue in the Dáil and that I've spoken about it in local media and over social media is to show those employees, who have clearly been mistreated that there is someone there supporting them and standing up for them.
“At no point did those employees or their union ever suggest that they should be taking the jobs in the new Community Nursing Unit ahead of the current staff in St. Conlon’s Nursing Home. Furthermore, I stated on local media this week that all staff at St Conlon’s are to and should be transferred over to the new facility as well as arrangements made for the full employment of agency staff that are waiting to be employed by the HSE.
“I believe it is very unfair the way the staff of Nenagh Rehabilitation Unit have been treated by Bartra Healthcare. I look forward to hearing the outcome of the Workplace Relations Commission hearing which is scheduled for next week. I also appeal for cool heads from other public representatives, not to inflame the situation when the hard-working and dedicated employees of the Nenagh Rehabilitation Unit have done nothing wrong throughout this entire process.
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