Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 103: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the need to ensure that elderly patients in private nursing homes are not left without any money of their own in cases in which their entire pension has to be used to pay for their nursing home costs, due to inadequate subventions; if she has proposals to ensure that they can retain a portion of their pensions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4243/05]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the placing of a person in a private nursing home is a matter between the person or his or her representatives and the nursing home proprietor. Article 8.2 of the Nursing Homes (Subvention) Regulations 1993 provides that an amount equivalent to one fifth of the non-contributory old age pension is disregarded by the Health Service Executive when assessing the means of a person in respect of whom a subvention is being sought. This provision ensures that a person can retain a proportion of his or her income for personal use.