Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Today the representative group, Nursing Homes Ireland, NHI, is in Buswells Hotel meeting Oireachtas Members. I encourage Members to meet the NHI if at all possible. The group has raised a number of concerns, in particular the change in the mechanism for the calculation of commercial rates. I spoke to one nursing home provider who told me the home's commercial rates have increased from €18,000 per annum to €54,000. That is a huge added cost to the budget of the nursing home and provision will have to be made for it. The cost will have to be spread down the line. The National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, was to come back by 1 June with a review of nursing home rates and the rates being paid to private nursing homes, but my understanding is that the review will not now be published on time. I am concerned about that because nursing homes took a substantial reduction in recent years in what they were being paid for caring for elderly people. More than 23,500 people are covered under the fair deal scheme. Nursing homes provide a service and, on the one hand, the State and local authorities are imposing a higher charge on them - the rates have doubled in many nursing homes - but, on the other hand, the NTPF has not indicated when it intends to publish its review of rates. It is important to deal with the issue as nursing homes have increasing costs. Nursing homes are also faced with increased insurance costs, as the rates have doubled and trebled in a lot of places. Perhaps the Leader could arrange for the Minister to deal with this issue. I understand the Minister is also carrying out a review of the fair deal scheme. I call on the Leader to invite the Minister of State, Deputy Helen McEntee, to the House to address this issue and also to discuss long-term planning for the provision of nursing home care.