Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 68: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the reason a nursing home subvention was not offered in respect of a person (details supplied); if fees of more than €40,000 per annum are required to meet a nursing home payment; her views on whether persons who have worked all their lives and paid their taxes should be expected to liquidate their home in order to pay for their upkeep in a private nursing home in the absence of appropriate public beds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16790/05]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Health (Nursing Homes) Act 1990 allows for the payment of a subvention towards the cost of such care based on a medical and means assessment. The process used in determining a person's eligibility for subvention is set out in the Nursing Homes Regulations 1993.

The placing of a person in a private nursing home is a private matter between the person or his or her representatives and the nursing home proprietor, as are the fees charged in these facilities. The subvention scheme was introduced to assist with the cost of private nursing home care. It was never intended that a subvention payment would meet the full costs of private nursing home care. It should be noted that the regulations governing means assessment were devised to try to provide an equitable system of payment and to direct available resources to those most in need. The Government is aware of the difficulties some people are having with respect to the cost of long-term care and are actively addressing the issues which have arisen.

Professor Eamon O'Shea of NUI Galway was commissioned to study the nursing home subvention scheme and recommendations arising from this study are being considered. These will be considered in the overall context of the future provision and funding of long-term care, both community based and residential. The Mercer report on the future financing of long-term care, commissioned by the Department of Social and Family Affairs, examined issues surrounding the financing of long-term care. A working group chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach and comprising senior officials from the Departments of Finance, Health and Children and Social and Family Affairs has been established following on from the publication of the report.