Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This morning, Deputy Marian Harkin and I organised a meeting for representatives of the nursing home sector. They are under pressure. They are small family-run, community-owned and not-for-profit nursing homes. While the Government provided some additional supports, they were nothing like the increase in the cost of living and energy costs they have to meet or the additional labour costs they have to meet.

On the other hand, there is a huge gulf between what HSE-run nursing homes and private nursing homes, respectively, are paid per patient. The gulf is justified by the claim that HSE-run nursing homes deal with patients with a greater degree of complexity. However, that was not borne out by the Government's value-for-money report. Is there any basis for the assertion that HSE-run nursing homes have patients with greater complexity than do private homes and, if so, what is the proof of that? Where is the basis for the assertion? There is a huge difference in the amounts paid per patient. In County Clare, there is an approximately 60% difference between what private nursing homes and HSE-run homes receive.

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