Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 13 November 2019

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health

Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2019: Discussion

Mr. Niall Redmond:

Absolutely. Looking at it from a different angle, though, if people can divest themselves of all assets before they enter the scheme, the scheme will cost whatever it costs and people will not get access unless we find a pot of money that can live with that additional cost. There are issues in that regard, so it is a question of trying to strike a balance. The five-year period was decided on in 2009 to strike that balance and give people an opportunity.

Regarding the Bill's head on transferred assets, the three-year cap can apply to transferred assets on the condition that they have gone to a family successor. We have tried to move that forward a little while also protecting the integral part of the scheme and the sustainability of what it is trying to do.

To be honest, we have not given climate action consideration. This is a financial support scheme and I understand that-----

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