Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this question. The Government and myself as Minister of State working with the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, are completely supportive of the nursing home sector. A sum of €1.5 billion will be provided this year to support 22,500 people who avail of the fair deal. Some 80% of nursing homes are run by voluntary and private organisations. Less than 4% of these are voluntary. In the past two weeks alone, I have engaged with Nursing Homes Ireland, The Alliance, a new organisation covering County Kerry up to County Donegal that represents small and family-run nursing homes and Carriglea Cairde Services which also represents nursing homes. In addition, I am in constant consultation through my Department with the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, and anybody who has renewed their deed in the past three or four weeks with the NTPF, will have seen an uplift of between €40 and €90 per person, per week. Moves have been made and I was delighted to receive further support of €41 million from the Cabinet for the NTPF in last year's budget.

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