Health chiefs are to hold talks with directors and trustees of the closure-threatened Corrin Memorial Home in a bid to buy more time for residents.

And Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan has pledged financial support to help the Department of Health and Social Care find a solution to the problem.

At the moment, residents of the residential home in Peel have been given notice it will close at the end of July - just three months from the announcement in April, when directors said the home was no longer viable economically.

But during an emergency debate in Tynwald this morning, members backed proposals for the Department of Health and Social Care to enter into talks with the directors and trustees of the charities that run the home to not only extend the notice period for residents, but to secure the whole site for future integrated care purpose - including residential care - in the west.

Kate Lord-Brennan MLC was granted permission to spark the emergency debate and she raised fears for the 21 residents affected, plus the 40 staff who are set to lose their jobs.

’The lives and livelihoods of those people are absolutely at risk,’ she said.

Her original motion called for Tynwald to give its opinion that six months’ notice was needed and that the DHSC to secure the property and land for future provision of elderly care.

Ms Lord-Brennan said the issue had ’national implications’.

Health Minister David Ashford tabled an amendment to ’strengthen’ that motion by direct the government to enter talks for a six-month period of notice for residents and to secure the site for future use.

Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan said a full examination of options available - both to the trustees of the home and the community - was needed.

’We will work with the department to ensure that appropriate funding is given to ensure that we can find a solution as quickly as possible,’ he said.

Further amendments inserted a proviso on the notice period called for to take effect ’if notice is regrettably necessary’ - leaving open the possibility the home may not have to close. The DHSC will also be asked to report back on a care strategy for the west October.

Both MHKs for Peel, Geoffrey Boot and Ray Harmer supported the motion and the amendments, as did all Tynwald members.

But the DHSC came under fire for not intervening sooner.

Lawrie Hooper (LibVannin, Ramsey) argued the law required the government to ensure that such homes remained viable and that any financial problems should have been spotted earlier.