Leas Cross scandal

Peter McKenna, a 60-year-old man with Down syndrome and Alzheimer's, who died 13 days after being transferred to the home in 2000, was the subject of a report by Martin Hynes, former head of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service.^[2][4] Mr. McKenna had been transferred from St. Michael's House to the nursing home despite the objections of his family – he was a ward of court.^[4] He needed round-the-clock nursing care but that was difficult to manage in the nursing home.^[4] St. Michael's House described the report as flawed.^[4]

A report by Professor Des O'Neill reviewed deaths at the home between 2002 and 2005, finding that care was deficient and it was consistent with a finding of institutional abuse.^[5][6]

The report also expressed concern at the short time between patients being transferred from hospitals to the nursing home, particularly in the case of patients from St. Itas Psychiatric Hospital.^[6][7] It also stated that there was almost a complete absence of systematic monitoring of deaths in Irish nursing homes.^[6][7]