Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

With regard to the cost, it depends on the level of take-up, particularly by estates but the lower figure that has been estimated by the Department is €845 million. A figure of approximately €1.2 billion or €1.3 billion has been estimated by the Health Service Executive. It is in that ballpark, which is why I have used a figure of approximately €1 billion which is somewhere between the two. I do not think the legislation will be passed until the autumn so I think the bulk of it will be paid next year.

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