Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 120: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will respond to the concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied) and address the issues raised therein; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5755/05]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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The nursing home subvention scheme was introduced in 1993 with the intention of financially helping those who chose private nursing home care over public long stay care. It was intended to help with the costs of this care for people who could not afford to pay the full fees involved, but it was never envisaged the scheme would cover the full cost of care. To this end a means test was employed to ensure that the available funds were allocated to those most in need. Some €5 million was allocated to the scheme in 1993 and that figure has risen to more than €120 million in 2005.

There are currently three rates of subvention payable under the regulations, that is €114.30, €152.40 and €190.50 for the three levels of dependency, medium, high and maximum. The above rates, which include a 25% increase from April 2001, were set by the Nursing Homes (Subvention) Regulations 1993.

The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for applications for nursing homes subvention. Accordingly, my Department has requested the chief officer for the executive's eastern regional area to investigate the matter raised and to reply directly to the Deputy.