Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I understand that but I had thought there were amendments that proposed to delete sections. I suppose I misread my instructions. I apologise.

Section 53A of the Health Act 1970 enables the HSE to charge a person in an acute setting if he or she is no longer receiving medically acute care and treatment. The charge applicable is the average cost of long-term residential care in public nursing homes. This amendment will extend the provision to public nursing homes. Where a person enters a nursing home for services other than long-term residential care, for example, respite or rehabilitation, and has subsequently been deemed by a registered medical practitioner to require long-term residential care services, the HSE may charge the person the average cost of care in public nursing homes. It is important to note that this is an enabling provision and will only apply where an individual refuses to co-operate with the application process for the nursing home support scheme. The HSE resources are limited, regrettably, and we need to ensure they are used effectively. That is the basis for these amendments.