Throughout 2019, the Department of Health has been engaged in designing the scheme based on continual enhancement of existing service-provision and on good practice internationally in relation to health and social care delivery.
As part of Budget 2020, €7m has been allocated for the testing of the new model of service delivery envisaged as part of the development of the statutory home-support scheme. My Department is working with the HSE to finalise the plan for the testing phase which is expected to take place throughout 2020.
I consider stakeholder engagement to be a critical part of the development of the statutory home support scheme and my Department has already undertaken a public consultation, a policy dialogue and has met with key stakeholders on a number of occasions. I look forward to on-going consultation with all stakeholders, including advocacy groups, throughout the testing phase.
]]>Action 17 of the Strategy for the Rental Sector commits the Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government (DHPLG) to examine the treatment, under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme's financial assessment, of income from the rental of a person's principal private residence where they move into long term residential care. My officials are working with DHPLG officials and examining a number of possible options. I am not in a position, however, to provide detail on these as discussions and detailed examination are ongoing and any potential proposals have not been finalised.
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