Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

We addressed this issue in some measure earlier, so I will concentrate on just some of the different areas. The Minister indicated on 20 May that approval of applications "would resume" and said that funding would be reallocated for this purpose. We now face a situation where the entire approvals process has been suspended. Are we to wait until the end of the review, 3 June, or have any other steps been taken to identify additional funding supports for the fair deal scheme? Has everything been sent to limbo for the moment or are we proactively looking at where additional funding can be realised? Will we only start to look at this post the publication of the review?

The Minister claimed that €100 million of the funding allocated for the fair deal scheme was used for other purposes by the HSE, although the HSE would say the funding was spent legitimately on services for older people. There may be truth in both arguments. However, with regard to the Minister's position, does he accept that €100 million that was allocated for the fair deal scheme has been spent in other areas, such as drugs, therapies etc., and that this money must be restored to the fair deal scheme?

It is a pity the Minister must have a surrogate voice here to respond to questions. He has stated there are anomalies not only relating to the funding of the scheme, but also to admissions policy and assessment procedures. Will he elaborate on that? He appears to suggest that some older people have been wrongly assessed and, perhaps, wrongly admitted into nursing homes. We need clarity on his statement.

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