Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Minister of State. I do not want to underestimate the work she has done and what she has achieved in delivering this. As Fianna Fáil's Opposition spokesperson for older people, she often spoke about the unfairness of this and how it was debilitating in terms of allowing people to go forward for the fair deal scheme. Not only has she spoken about it and, as Deputy O'Dowd said, listened, but she has delivered on it in a short time in office.

This change to the scheme that Fianna Fáil has long sought will mean that, after a period of three years, the value of the family-owned farm will no longer be taken into account when calculating the cost of a person's nursing home care. This will happen where a family successor commits to working the farm or business. We often talk to young farmers who feel it is difficult to find a future in farming and all of that plays into what the Minister of State is trying to do. This change is essential to the viability and sustainability of family firms and allowing them to pass down to the next generation, which we all want to see, particularly those of us in rural constituencies like my own of Cavan-Monaghan. It will ensure that the fair deal is fairer, more accessible and more affordable for family farms.

This has been a hugely emotive issue for family farms and communities across Ireland and one that Fianna Fáil has now acted on. I am happy to see critical steps have been taken with the publication of this vital Bill. The Minister of State has listened, heard and responded to the calls from family farms and businesses seeking fundamental reforms, which she has achieved. I hope the Bill receives the full cross-party support it deserves so these hugely important changes can be delivered without delay.

The nursing homes support scheme, commonly known as fair deal, is a scheme of financial support for those in need of long-term nursing care. The scheme aims to ensure the care is accessible and affordable for everyone and that people are cared for in the most appropriate settings. Under fair deal, residents make contributions to their care based on a financial assessment of their income and assets. In the assessment, the capital value of an individual's principal private residence is only included for the first three years of a resident's time in care.

This is known as the three-year cap. The nursing homes support scheme has been in operation for the past ten years and there is broad agreement that the scheme operates well and continues to provide appropriate financial assistance where it is required. However, the Government recognises that the current three-year cap and financial assessment of a person's income and assets applies to family farms and businesses only in the case of sudden illness or disability. This situation may place unnecessary financial pressures on families and would challenge the future viability of farms and businesses. I am delighted that this amendment deals with the issue. The Bill delivers on the programme for Government commitment to address it by introducing additional safeguards to the scheme to promote and protect the sustainability of family farms and businesses that will be passed down to the next generation.

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought into sharp focus the vulnerability of many older people, especially those living in long-term residential care. It is critical that the public investment in long-term care services is maintained for those who need it. Care must remain accessible and affordable at all times.

The nursing homes scheme has been in operation for the past ten years, since 2009, and on 31 December 2020 more than 22,000 people were participating in the scheme at an annual cost of more than €1 billion. That is an endorsement of the popularity and usefulness of the scheme. Participants in the scheme contribute up to 80% of their assessable income and a maximum of 7.5% per annum on the value of assets held. In the case of a couple, the applicants' means are assessed at 50% of the couple's combined income and assets. The first €36,000 of an individual's assets and €72,000 in the case of a couple are not counted at all in the financial assessment.

I extend my heartiest congratulations to the Minister of State, Deputy Butler. She is only ten months in office. She spoke about this issue on many occasions in opposition. I am thrilled for her and for lots of people across the country that the matter has been acted on and the Bill is being delivered and implemented.

I have had direct experience of people close to me being in need of primary care. I thank all the staff working in nursing homes and in primary care. A close family member with complex needs is now being cared for at home. The care, compassion and empathy his family have received from the primary care service have been second to none. I include carers, dieticians, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and GPs. It has not been easy during the pandemic for staff with such expertise to go into homes, but they have willingly delivered the service and allowed people the opportunity to be cared for at home if that is their wish. I cannot overstate what that means to a family, a husband, a wife, children and the extended family. That was the case in particular during the pandemic because such restrictions had to be imposed on nursing home and hospital visits. That is something the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, has addressed in order to allow families to get in to see their loved ones. I compliment and congratulate the Minister of State, not only for listening but also for delivering.

See this speech in context