Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 163: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the reason the calculation for the capital means test for benefits under the remit of her Department is different from that of the Department of Social and Family Affairs. [28536/04]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The function of the means test in the case of nursing home subvention is to assess a person's eligibility for funding of their long-term care. The system used to assess this was devised in the context of the nursing home subvention regulations 1993 and the criteria used would, of necessity, differ from that used by the Department of Social and Family Affairs when assessing a person's entitlement to income support.

The Deputy might also wish to know that a working group has been set up to review the nursing home subvention regulations. Part of its work will involve looking at the financial assessment process and making recommendations considered necessary.