Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

I move amendment No. 3:

In page 3, before section 3, but in Part 2, to insert the following new section:

3.—The Minister shall as soon as may be after the passing of this Act prepare and lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the implications of new control measures to make it compulsory for a registered nursing home (public and private) to notify the Department if a person is resident with them for a month or more.".

This amendment proposes a new control measure. Recently I was approached by a constituent who told me her mother had moved into a private nursing home. The woman's home was empty as she had been resident in the nursing home for several months, but she continued to receive payments for fuel allowance and the household benefits package. The woman also raised many interesting issues with regard to medical cards and payments received by doctors.

The purpose of this amendment is to persuade the Minister to introduce a new control measure under which all nursing homes are required to notify the Department once someone has been admitted on a permanent basis. I am suggesting that notification take place once the resident has been there for more than four weeks, if he or she is to be a permanent resident. I do not mind a shorter or longer interval but there is a need to ensure expenditure is not being wasted and that proper control measures are in place.

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