Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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We raised this matter in the Dáil with the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch. There are a number of concerns with section 42, which outlines and defines services, including accommodation provided on behalf of the HSE. It outlines the supports of services other than outpatient, acute inpatient or long-term residential care services under the nursing home support scheme. We understand all of this but when we asked the question of whether costs would be incurred by people who had accommodation provided by the HSE or agents acting on its behalf, we were not given the definitive answer that there would be no extra cost.

A key question is whether the Minister believes there will be any additional costs or expenses incurred by individuals on foot of this? The stakeholders, for example, were very disappointed there was no engagement whatever. We are speaking about openness and ensuring that we have a broad engagement with stakeholders, so one would have thought there could have been discussions and input into this section because it affects members. They came to us because of that more than anything else. They were disappointed there was no engagement and there have been no assurances that this will not bring any further charges or that individuals will not incur costs because of this legislation. In effect, it is an addendum to a miscellaneous Bill, and it could be argued it is not an appropriate vehicle in the first place. It is completely at variance with the rest of the Bill, as this concerns accommodation and charges for people to whom the Health Service Executive provides service.