Patients living in a care home in Athlone have been told they will be evacuated following an electrical problem.

Fianna Fail TD Robert Troy is calling on the Health Minister Simon Harris to make an urgent announcement after patients and staff were informed of the problem at St. Vincent's Care Home without any prior warning.

Mr Troy said Minister Harris needs to provide a clear timeline as to when the facility will re-open.

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He said: "The HSE also needs to set out its contingency plan in relation to this. There are many elderly patients at St Vincent's who rely on a support network of family and friends in the Athlone area. It's simply not feasible to move these patients a far distance from Athlone.

"The manner in which this whole incident has been handled by HSE management leaves a lot to be desired. It's placed a huge burden on families who were told that their loved ones would be moved to a different location within a matter of hours. Patients and their families need clarity on why this happened, and when they can expect to return to St. Vincent's Care Home."

(CD/MH)