Health (Homes For Incapacitated Persons) Act, 1964

What is this act about?

This law makes provisions for the standards of homes that care for incapacitated persons for private profit. It aims to ensure adequate accommodation, food, and care for these individuals.

Who it applies to: Persons who operate or manage homes where incapacitated persons are maintained for private profit; Incapacitated persons who are maintained in such homes.

At a glance

Country: Ireland
Area of law: Tax law
Articles: 9
Source: irishstatutebook.ie
Text retrieved: 2026-06-17
Explanation updated: 2026-07-07

What does this act regulate?

The standards of accommodation, food, and care for incapacitated persons in homes.
The proper conduct of homes for incapacitated persons.
Requirements for the design, maintenance, staffing, and cleanliness of these homes.
The enforcement of regulations by health authorities.

Who does this act apply to?

Persons who operate or manage homes where incapacitated persons are maintained for private profit.
Incapacitated persons who are maintained in such homes.

What are the key points?

An "incapacitated" person is someone unable to look after themselves due to old age, physical infirmity, injury, defect, disease, or mental infirmity or handicap.
A "home" is any premises where incapacitated persons are maintained for private profit, with specific exclusions (e.g., premises maintaining only one incapacitated person, or those where the majority are being treated for acute ailments).
The Minister can make regulations regarding care, staff qualifications, home design, maintenance, ventilation, heating, lighting, space, washing facilities, sanitary conveniences, food, and cleanliness.
Regulations must not apply if compliance would contradict the religious beliefs or principles of a religious body or organisation running a home, or of an individual person.
Persons in charge of a home must notify the health authority within one month of the Act's commencement, or one month before establishing a new home. Failure to do so can result in a fine not exceeding twenty-five pounds.
Offences under this Act can lead to fines not exceeding fifty pounds, and for continuing offences, a further fine not exceeding five pounds per day (up to fifty pounds in total), or imprisonment for up to three months, or both.
A court can disqualify a person from carrying on or managing a home for a specified period if convicted of an offence.
The Minister can grant exemptions from this Act to certain homes.

Tax law

Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2025

Finance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1935

Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Act 2015

Finance Act, 1952

Customs and Excise (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1988

Disclosure of Certain Information For Taxation and Other Purposes Act, 1996

Finance Act, 1924

Taxes and Duties (Special Circumstances) Act, 1942

Tax law

Legal text

Contents (9)

Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Section 5
Section 6
Section 7
Section 8
Section 9

Health (Homes For Incapacitated Persons) Act, 1964 Skip to content Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Gaeilge Léim go dtí an t-ábhar Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach English Gaeilge English Produced by the Office of the Attorney General Táirgthe ag Oifig an Ard-Aighne Home Legislation Acts of the Oireachtas Statutory Instruments Pre-1922 Legislation Constitution External Resources Bills (Houses of the Oireachtas) Iris Oifigiúil / Official Gazette Revised Acts (LRC) Classified List of Legislation (LRC) Translations (acts.ie) Translations (Houses of the Oireachtas) Government Publications for Sale EU Law (EUR-Lex) FAQ Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Search Baile Reachtaíocht Achtanna an Oireachtais Ionstraimí Reachtúla Reachtaíocht Réamh-1922 Bunreacht Acmhainní Seachtracha Billí (Tithe an Oireachtais) Iris Oifigiúil Achtanna Athbhreithnithe (CAD) (An Coimisiún um Athchóiriú an Dlí) Liosta Rangaithe Reachtaíochta Aistriúcháin (achtanna.ie) Aistriúcháin (Tithe an Oireachtais) Foilseacháin Rialtais ar Díol Dlí AE (EUR-Lex) CCanna (Ceisteanna Coitianta) Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach Cuardach TitleTeideal Year(s) or rangeBliain nó blianta nó raon TypeCineál All Legislation Acts Statutory Instruments Advanced SearchCuardach Casta HomeBaile ActsAchtanna 1964 Health (Homes For Incapacitated Persons) Act, 1964 Health (Homes For Incapacitated Persons) Act, 1964 Permanent Page URL View by SectionAmharc de réir Ailt View Full ActAmharc ar an Acht Iomlán Bill History Stair Bille Commencement, Amendments, SIs made under the Act Tosach Feidhme, Leasuithe, IRí arna ndéanamh faoin Acht Print Full ActPriontáil an tAcht Iomlán Number 8 of 1964.

HEALTH (HOMES FOR INCAPACITATED PERSONS) ACT, 1964 ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS Section

Section 1

Interpretation.

Section 2

Regulations in relation to homes.

Section 3

Duty of persons in charge of homes to notify health authority.

Section 4

Exemption from Act of certain homes.

Section 5

Prosecution of offences.

Section 6

Amendment of section 64 of Health Act, 1947.

Section 7

Saving.

Section 8

Laying of regulations before Houses of Oireachtas.

Section 9

Short title, collective citation and commencement.

Acts Referred to Registration of Maternity Homes Act, 1934 1934, No. 14.

Health Act, 1947 1947, No. 28.

Number 8 of 1964.

HEALTH (HOMES FOR INCAPACITATED PERSONS) ACT, 1964 AN ACT TO MAKE PROVISION IN RELATION TO THE STANDARDS OF HOMES IN WHICH INCAPACITATED PERSONS ARE MAINTAINED FOR PRIVATE PROFIT. [20th May, 1964.] BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:— Interpretation.

1.—(1) In this Act— “incapacitated”, in relation to a person, means incapable of looking after himself by reason of— (a) old age, (b) physical infirmity or a physical injury, defect or disease, or (c) mental infirmity or a mental handicap; “home” means any premises in which incapacitated persons are maintained, excluding— (a) premises in which no incapacitated person is maintained for private profit, (b) premises in which not more than one incapacitated person is maintained, (c) premises in which a majority of the persons being maintained are being treated for acute ailments by or under the control of medical or surgical specialists, (d) a maternity home in respect of which a person is registered in the register of maternity homes under the Registration of Maternity Homes Act, 1934 , and in which incapacitated persons who are not maternity patients are not maintained, and (e) a mental institution, within the meaning of the Mental Treatment Acts, 1945 to 1961, but where— (i) a person who is the spouse of the occupier of any premises or a parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece of the occupier or of the spouse (if any) of the occupier is maintained in those premises, or (ii) an incapacitated person who has become incapacitated while a resident in premises consisting of a bona fide hotel, guest-house or boarding-house is maintained in those premises for a period not exceeding one month, such maintenance shall, for the purpose of this definition, be disregarded.

(2)The Health Acts, 1947 to 1960, and this Act shall be construed as one.

(3)Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (2) of this section, a reference in the Health Act, 1947 , to that Act shall, save where the context otherwise requires, be construed as including a reference to this Act.

Regulations in relation to homes.

2.—(1) The Minister may, for the purpose of ensuring adequate and suitable accommodation, food and care for incapacitated persons while being maintained in homes and the proper conduct of homes, make such regulations as he thinks appropriate in relation to homes.

(2)Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) of this section, regulations under this section may— (a) prescribe requirements as to the care of incapacitated persons while being maintained in homes, (b) prescribe requirements as to the numbers and qualifications of the staffs of homes, (c) prescribe requirements as to the design, maintenance, repair, ventilation, heating and lighting of homes and the amount of space in bedrooms and wards in homes, (d) prescribe requirements as to the accommodation (including washing facilities and sanitary conveniences) provided in homes, (e) prescribe requirements as to the food provided for incapacitated persons while being maintained in homes, (f) prescribe requirements as to the cleanliness of homes, (g) prescribe requirements as to the description of homes in written communications and the display in homes of notices specified in the regulations, (h) provide for the conduct of interviews (including interviews in private) of persons (including staff) in a home where the health authority have reasonable cause to believe that a person in the home is not receiving proper care, (i) provide for the enforcement and execution of the regulations by health authorities and their officers.

(3)Regulations under this section prescribing requirements of the kind referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (2) of this section shall provide that a requirement shall not apply in relation to a home carried on by or on behalf of a religious body or organisation if compliance with that requirement by the home would be contrary to the religious beliefs or principles of the body or organisation.

(4)Regulations under this section prescribing requirements of the kind referred to in paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of this section shall provide that a requirement shall not apply in relation to a person if submission by the person to the carrying out of that requirement in relation to him would be contrary to his religious beliefs or principles.

(5)Where, in relation to a home, there is a contravention of a provision of regulations under this section, the person carrying on the home and any person concerned with the management thereof shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds, and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine (not exceeding fifty pounds in all) not exceeding five pounds for each day on which the offence is continued or, at the discretion of the Court, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to both the fine or fines and the imprisonment.

(6)(a) Where a person is convicted of an offence under this section, the Court may, either in addition to or in substitution for the penalties referred to in subsection (5) of this section, by order declare that the person shall be disqualified during such period as may be specified in the order for carrying on, or taking part in the management of, the home to which the conviction related or, at the discretion of the Court, of any home. (b) A person in respect of whom an order is made under this subsection shall not during the period specified in the order carry on, or take part in the management of, the home specified in the order or of any home, as the case may be. (c) A person who contravenes paragraph (b) of this subsection shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine (not exceeding fifty pounds in all) not exceeding five pounds for each day on which the offence is continued or, at the discretion of the Court, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to both the fine or fines and the imprisonment.

(7)A person who wilfully obstructs the execution of a regulation under this section shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine (not exceeding fifty pounds in all) not exceeding five pounds for each day on which the offence is continued or, at the discretion of the Court, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to both the fine or fines and the imprisonment.

Duty of persons in charge of homes to notify health authority.

3.—(1) The person in charge of a home shall, within one month after the commencement of this Act, notify in writing the health authority in whose functional area the home is situate of the name and address of the home and the name of the person in charge of the home.

(2)Where a person proposes to establish a home, he shall, not less than one month before the date on which it is proposed to commence business, notify in writing the health authority in whose functional area the home will be situate of the name and address of the home and the name of the person in charge of the home.

(3)A person who contravenes subsection (1) or (2) of this section shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding twenty-five pounds.

Exemption from Act of certain homes.

4.—(1) The Minister may, if he so thinks fit, grant exemption from the provisions of this Act to any home approved of by him pursuant to a provision of the Health Acts, 1947 to 1960, for any of the purposes of those Acts.

(2)The Minister may, if he so thinks fit, on the application of any home, grant exemption from the provisions of this Act to that home.

(3)This Act shall not apply in relation to a home in respect of which an exemption under this section has been granted and has not been withdrawn.

(4)An exemption under this section may be withdrawn at any time by the Minister.

Prosecution of offences.

5.—An offence under this Act may be prosecuted by the health authority in whose functional area is situate the home in relation to which the offence was committed.

Amendment of section 64 of Health Act, 1947.

6.—

Section 64

of the Health Act, 1947 , is hereby amended by the insertion in paragraph (b) of subsection (3) after “convalescent home” of “, home within the meaning of the Health (Homes for Incapacitated Persons) Act, 1964”.

Saving.

7.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed as authorising the reception and care of a person where such reception and care would contravene any provision of the Mental Treatment Acts, 1945 to 1961.

Laying of regulations before Houses of Oireachtas.

8.—Every regulation made by the Minister under this Act shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made and, if a resolution annulling the regulation is passed by either such House within the next subsequent twenty-one days on which that House has sat after the regulation is laid before it, the regulation shall be annulled accordingly but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done thereunder.

Short title, collective citation and commencement.

9.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Health (Homes for Incapacitated Persons) Act, 1964.

(2)The Health Acts, 1947 to 1960, and this Act may be cited together as the Health Acts, 1947 to 1964.

(3)This Act shall come into operation on such day as the Minister may appoint by order.

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