Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)

I propose to take Question Nos. 44 and 46 together.

As the Deputies are aware, the Minister for Health and Children has recently been made aware of a serious shortfall in the fair deal budget for this year. The budget is coming under pressure from, among other things, increases in overall costs and increases in net demand for long-term care. Furthermore, the HSE has advised that the long-term residential care subhead is also funding services other than those covered by the nursing homes support scheme. I understand these other services, which include therapies and medications, are being provided to people in nursing homes.

The decision to suspend approvals under the nursing homes support scheme was made by the HSE on Friday, 13 May 2011 and a letter issued to each regional director of operations for further distribution to all hospitals in their areas. A copy of this letter was sent to the Department of Health and Children on Tuesday, 17 May. The Minister for Health and Children was advised that day and a meeting with the HSE took place that evening.

A full examination of the funding situation is under way, conducted jointly by the Department of Health and the HSE. This examination is to be completed by Friday, 3 June 2011. The Minister has sought further information about the level of funding provided for, and the cost drivers impacting on, the long-term residential care subhead. The main priority at this stage is to establish what steps might be taken to allow more people to benefit from the scheme. In the meantime, applications for financial support under the scheme will continue to be accepted and processed. However, decisions to grant approval will be subject to the availability of funding.

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