Mr. Tadhg Daly:

Clearly we are disappointed with the pricing element of it. From the residents' point of view the fair deal scheme is a good one as there is certainty around the availability of nursing home care and it means that people know in advance how much they have to contribute themselves based on their income and their assets.

From the point of view of operators and representative bodies, the pricing element is deeply flawed. The pricing review committed to dealing with and addressing that, but the delay in that regard is having a negative and very severe impact. As Deputy Aylward stated, it is becoming more difficult for people to keep the doors open because of the cost of operating, the dependency level of older people, the cost and complexity of care, the cost of regulation and commercial rates. Costs are only going one way while our members are trying to maintain value for money, to use Deputy Connolly's phrase. There comes a tipping point, however, at which operators will no longer be able to sustain viable services.