Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

Is the Minister aware that it seems to be official policy that an elderly person who is seeking accommodation in long-stay nursing home facilities is being told officially in a letter I received yesterday that one of the ways of doing so is to remain in a bed in a public hospital until a place in a public nursing home facility becomes available? In other words, we are now being told that one brings somebody through accident and emergency into a hospital to remain in a bed until a place becomes available.

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