Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

The Minister for Health and Children reflected carefully on the points raised by Deputy Jan O'Sullivan on Committee Stage. She is not in a position, as I outlined in my earlier reply, to accept the amendment. She will, however, provide the Deputy with the guidelines and they will be reviewed after three years of their introduction. An amendment will be introduced later which will clarify that a person in an acute bed cannot be charged for it while waiting for a care needs assessment.

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