John Kelly (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I support what Senator Landy said about the fair deal scheme. We should have a debate on that scheme, which should be renamed "a raw deal" scheme for the elderly people because that is what they are getting now. It used to be when people applied for the fair deal, once it was sanctioned it was granted from the date of application, but now it is not. Now people have to wait between 11 and 16 weeks before getting funding for the nursing home bed they are occupying, which costs the elderly person between €14,000 and €16,000 which they may not have. That is why we have bed blockers in hospitals. The patients simply cannot afford to go out to a nursing home because they do not have the funding to do so. However, it costs approximately €7,000 a week to keep them in the public hospitals. It is outrageous.

They are now being moved to public nursing homes in the region, but not close to where they are seeking nursing home accommodation. A lady in my county, who wants to get into a nursing home in County Roscommon, has been discharged to a public nursing home in Ballina, County Mayo, 60 miles away from her home. It is not fair on her because she knows absolutely nobody. Nor is it fair on family members who have to travel such a distance to visit their elderly relative.

It is time we had a debate in the House about the fair deal scheme. We need to go back to the way it was whereby when somebody's application for the fair deal is eventually approved, it is granted from the date of application.