Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme for nursing homes, also known as TAPS, provides financial assistance to private and voluntary nursing homes to support their preparedness in relation to COVID-19 and to manage outbreaks, if and when they present.

The Scheme's guidelines and associated documentation are publicly available at www.hse.ie/eng/services/news/newsfeatures/covid19-updates/temporary-assistance-payment-scheme-for-nursing-homes/

The core concept of the scheme is that the State will provide additional funding to those nursing homes that require it, to contribute towards support measures associated with COVID-19 preparedness, mitigation and outbreak management. There is an overall monthly funding cap, which is the maximum amount that may be paid in respect of each month to a nursing home under the scheme.

Where a nursing home applies for an assistance payment through the scheme, the nursing home may only claim for those additional allowable costs, as set out in the Scheme details. The nursing home must vouch that all amounts claimed are in relation to those allowable costs arising as a result of the impact of COVID-19. In some cases, where an outbreak has been experienced and a claim is made under the outbreak assistance component of the scheme, the claim requires independently certified verification.

In recognition of the ongoing risk presented by COVID-19 in the community, Outbreak Assistance element of the scheme was initially extended to the end of December 2022 and thereafter extended further to the end of April 2023. There is, however, a reduction of the threshold for maximum monthly claim value from €33,000 to €20,000 applying to claims from 01 March 2023. This will be the final extension of the scheme, after which it will be closed. This takes account of the changed situation with regard to COVID-19 in Ireland, and the inherently temporary nature of the scheme.

Almost €149 million has been claimed by nursing homes under the Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme (TAPS) since its introduction in 2020. Under the Standard Assistance element of the scheme nursing homes could claim up to a maximum of €60,000 per month. Standard Assistance remained open to claims for costs incurred up to 30 June 2021.

When introduced in 2020, a robust control framework was put in place for the Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme, including requirements for validation, review of claims by an external accountancy firm, and provision for all claims to be audited and any misallocated funds clawed back for up to six years following. The thresholds also provided a strong control on costs.

Claims to the scheme were administered by the NTPF (National Treatment Purchase Fund).

Since the start of the pandemic, private and voluntary nursing homes have also received a wide range of non-financial supports, including over €74m in free PPE and oxygen in addition to other supports. The NTPF and the HSE are currently undertaking an audit of payments (in addition to the internal audit mentioned above) and a report will be published when this audit is finalised. This audit is in progress.

I have asked the HSE to respond directly to your request for an up-to-date list of the totals allocated to each facility.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Act 2007, as amended, provides the overarching regulatory framework for the nursing home sector with further detailed requirements set out in Registration Regulations, Care and Welfare Regulations and Quality Standards. Under the Health Act 2007, as amended, and related Regulations, the registered provider is responsible and accountable for the quality of care and safety of residents in nursing homes (designated centres) and all nursing homes are required to have a clear complaints procedure in place. Part 10 of the Care and Welfare Regulations sets out the requirements in this regard.

HIQA welcomes information in relation to designated centres that come within its regulatory remit. Any complaints of a serious nature are forwarded to HIQA as a matter of course and to the HSE where appropriate. As a regulator, HIQA has no formal legal role in examining individual complaints, but it does take into account all information it receives- including complaints from the public- when carrying out inspections. If a concern is raised about a nursing home, HIQA reviews all information received to inform its on-going risk-based regulation activities.

Please see the number of concerns raised to HIQA for the nursing home in question for the period set out by the Deputy, which coincides with the COVID-19 pandemic:

2020	2021	2022	Grand Total
3	1	0	4

Specific details in relation to the themes of these concerns are currently being collated by HIQA. This will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.