Dr. Colm O'Reardon:

A number of different pieces of work are going on simultaneously. The value for money review is a formal process run under the auspices of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. There is a commitment under the programme for Government to examine the issue of additional charges in nursing homes. The issue was looked at recently in collaboration with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, CCPC but there is a further commitment to go back to it under the programme for Government so we will be moving on with that work.

Finally, the NTPF has statutory responsibility for dealing with the negotiation of charges. That is its role. A review of the pricing negotiation mechanism was recently completed and we are hoping to publish it shortly.