Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

You are very good. Thank you very much.

It was good the Minister of State spoke of voluntary homes and care homes, such as those in Carlow and Kilkenny, and I thank her for the funding. Deputy Crowe spoke of care homes needing funding. We all respect the HIQA reports and whatever but I spoke to the Minister of State recently about looking at local authority grants for when a HIQA inspection came on and they wanted an extra bedroom, bathroom or something like that. Maybe different Departments could help the Minister of State's Department with grants so if one was under pressure we would all work together and try to get that extra funding.

A nursing home was on to me recently where all the residents have medical cards but are all being charged for their blood tests. Is there anything we can do to help these residents? It is important they do not have all these extra fees. I thank the Minister of State for all the work she is doing.

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