Written answers

Tuesday, 19 April 2005

Department of Social and Family Affairs

Nursing Home Charges

9:00 pm

Photo of Willie PenroseWillie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 136: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if any refunds made to pensioners residing in nursing homes, arising from the recent Supreme Court decision that found that charges levied on them were illegal, will not be allowed to impact on their current pension entitlement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11824/05]

Photo of Róisín ShortallRóisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 308: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the implications of the €2,000 [i]ex gratia[/i] payments and other repayments of illegal nursing home charges to medical card holders for recipients of means tested social welfare payments. [11800/05]

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 328: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if reimbursements from the State, to be received by persons as a result of moneys or charges that were taken illegally from them, will be disregarded from assessments for social welfare payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12128/05]

Photo of Séamus BrennanSéamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 136, 308 and 328 together.

I understand that my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, will shortly be bringing proposals to Government in respect of repayments to residents and former residents of publicly-funded long stay care places.

During the period in question, my Department paid affected persons their full pension and other social welfare entitlements and had no function in the deduction of the charges made. The implications for social welfare pensions and other entitlements will depend on the nature of the repayments scheme. However, it is my intention that any repayments, including the €2,000 ex gratia payments, will not impact on current pension entitlements and I will bring forward proposals in this regard when full details of the repayment scheme have been finalised.

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