Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputy Feighan for raising this issue, as it is important that matters such as this are completely understood so that potential applicants to the nursing homes support scheme can make fully informed decisions.

As the Deputy is aware, the nursing homes support scheme commenced on 27 October and the HSE is now processing applications under the scheme. It is administered, and applications are processed, in accordance with the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009 and the HSE's guidelines on the standardised implementation of the nursing homes support scheme, which were approved by the Minister for Health and Children. This framework ensures a consistent approach across the HSE in the processing of applications.

The HSE has indicated that the expected timelines for processing applications and making a determination regarding financial support will vary according to individual circumstances and complexities. However, on average, the following timelines are estimated in cases where the submitted application is fully and correctly completed: a straightforward application for State support should take one to two weeks and a straightforward application for ancillary State support, or the nursing home loan as it is commonly known, should take three to four weeks.

In the initial months following the introduction of the scheme, the HSE will have to deal with a large volume of applications from both existing residents and new entrants. However, this should not impact negatively on existing residents due to the safeguards provided within the primary legislation. The legislation provides that applicants to the scheme who were in nursing home care on the date the scheme commenced shall have their State support backdated to that date.

Furthermore, anyone in receipt of subvention prior to the commencement of the scheme will continue to have that paid while their application is being processed. Once the application has been determined, the backdated State support will be netted off against the subvention already paid. In practice, what this means is that people will not be paid twice for the same care but will have State support paid from 27 October 2009.

For new entrants to nursing home care, the HSE's guidelines on the standardised implementation of the scheme state that subject to overall resources, people who enter nursing homes after the commencement of the scheme will have their financial support paid either from the date that the application was made or from date of admission to the nursing home, whichever is the later. At this point I emphasise that the scheme is voluntary and is underpinned by an important commitment that anyone who was in a nursing home when the scheme commenced cannot be made worse off by its introduction.

Such individuals can choose whether to transfer to the new scheme. Therefore, anyone who was in a public or voluntary nursing home, or in a contracted bed in a private nursing home when the scheme commenced, can continue with their existing arrangements. Anyone who was in an approved private nursing home and in receipt of subvention when the scheme commenced can choose to transfer to the nursing homes support scheme or retain current subvention arrangements.

If a person is in a private nursing home which is not approved for the purpose of the scheme, he or she can retain current subvention arrangements or opt to apply for the scheme and change to a nursing home participating in the scheme. A list of the nursing homes participating in the scheme is available on the HSE website. Finally, if a person was in an approved private nursing home when the new scheme commenced, he or she does not need to apply for a care needs assessment; instead, the person can commence the process by applying for the financial assessment.

I hope this explanation has clarified the issues raised by Deputy Feighan.

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