Nursing homes will receive extra payments to help them deal with the coronavirus crisis, the Government has announced.
A range of other measures have also been announced to help homes deal with the crisis.
Each nursing home will also be identifying a COVID-19 lead, and coronavirus testing will be prioritised for staff.
The HSE will also provide access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), expert advice and training.
Movement of staff across different nursing homes will also be minimised in a bid to limit the spread of infections.
Meanwhile, staff screening will be carried out in nursing homes twice a day.
Health Minister Simon Harris said that will ensure any staff member who is feeling unwell or is developing a fever will be 'very quickly identified' and can go home to care for themselves.
In terms of the temporary payments, homes will receive €800 per resident per month for the first 40 residents, €400 per resident per month for the next 40 residents and €200 for any further residents.
The temporary scheme for private and voluntary nursing homes is envisaged to last for three months, and will begin in the coming days.
Any homes that have "incurred significant further costs" due to the crisis will also be able to submit a case for extra funding, up to a maximum of €75,000.
The measures come amid concerns over the rising number of coronavirus cases in nursing homes.
There are now 40 clusters of COVID-19 cases in nursing homes across the country - with a cluster meaning three or more cases in a 72 hour period.
Image: HPSCAnnouncing the new measures, Health Minister Simon Harris said "we must do everything we can to support [nursing homes] to help break the transmission of the virus".
He said: "Our goal, in these challenging times, is to protect our older people, wherever they are living.
“We must also support staff working in nursing homes, and ensure their safety and health as we continue to deal with this pandemic.
“It is vital we leave nobody behind as we navigate our way out of this pandemic.”
Last night, the Department of Health confirmed another 22 deaths from COVID-19, bringing the death toll to 120.
The median age of yesterday's reported deaths was 80.
Officials also yesterday said 424 new cases have been confirmed, with the total number now standing at 4,273.
