Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

What I did this year was put €41 extra into the NTPF to support nursing homes. I also provided an additional €10 million on 1 July last year for the temporary inflation payment scheme, TIPS, which is still available. Each nursing home can claim up to €5,250 per month towards its inflationary costs for heating the home. Private nursing homes and voluntary nursing homes continue to receive free personal protective equipment, PPE, which started during Covid-19. This has cost the State to date between €75 million and €78 million. We continue to provide that but we have to look at this matter in the round. I have to be very clear that the NTPF is an independent statutory body. Neither I nor the Minister can get involved in any independent case-by-case funding decisions.

My understanding is that when the NTPF engages with any particular nursing home, a final price is offered and once the final price is offered, whichever home it is, and I can only speak in general, can appeal that decision. I do not agree with the figures the Deputy mentioned because they are not the figures of which I am aware. The best way forward because it is the only way to fund any nursing home that wants to be part of fair deal is through discussion. That is a very important position for older people because the more people have, the more they pay and the less they have, the less they pay, which means nursing home care is affordable to everyone. The only way to resolve this is for the nursing home provider and NTPF to talk. I know for a fact that the NTPF reached out to the home in question late last week.

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