Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

I understand court cases are pending in regard to people who secured beds in private nursing homes who would have chosen a bed in a public nursing home but they were not available and a second choice or last resort was made whereby a son or daughter, for example, secured a bed for their mother or father in a private nursing home. We all know the result of a judgment in a court case being different from what is envisaged. Has the Minister of State provided in the Bill for a successful outcome in those court cases? If a person, whose relative was put into a private nursing home as a last resort, the person having tried to secure a bed for his or her relative in a public nursing home, such as St. Vincent's Hospital in Athy, but was unable to do so because of a lack space, were to successfully challenge the legislation in court, it would have major implications for this Bill. In that event, in regard to section 3, the terms of reference of the agency in charge of administering the scheme would widen considerably. Has the Minister of State taken account of that?