The government has come under pressure in the Dáil over the status of public nursing homes earmarked for closure.

Last week the junior health Minister Kathleen Lynch said that health watchdog HIQA was giving the nursing homes more time to come up to standard, however, the Taoiseach has admitted there is not enough money to fix all 21 homes.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has accused the Taoiseach of failing to give certainty on the issue.

The Health Information and Quality Authority says 21 public nursing homes could have to close by the summer because they do not meet national standards.

None of the nursing homes have been earmarked for capital investment in the HSE service plan for this year.

Enda Kenny says the “there’s never been enough money here nor is there enough now.”

The Taoiseach went on to say the Government is looking to see if they can get around the demands of HIQA.

“Now what we’ve got to do is decide on the flexibility of the law – what ones can continue to give service for the time ahead,” Mr Kenny said.

“And how best we can bring those other facilities up to the standard of modern nursing homes that the people who use them can be comfortable and secure in them,” he added.