Written answers

Wednesday, 29 June 2005

Department of Health and Children

Nursing Home Subventions

10:00 pm

Photo of Michael LowryMichael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 111: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will extend the nursing home subvention scheme to cover the full cost of care and to ensure that pensioners availing of the scheme will continue to retain at least 50% of their pensions; the cost to the State of such measures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23167/05]

Photo of Seán PowerSeán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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The Health (Nursing Homes) Act 1990 allows for the payment of a subvention towards the cost of nursing home care based on medical and means assessments. The process used in determining a person's eligibility for subvention is set out in the Nursing Homes (Subvention) Regulations 1993.

As the Deputy will be aware, 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 by a nursing home. The subvention scheme was introduced to assist with the cost of private nursing home care and it was never intended that a subvention payment would meet the full costs of private nursing home care.

The Government is very conscious of the changing demographic profile of our population, with more people living longer and more fulfilling lives and the consequential increasing demand for services, both community based and residential. The Mercer report on the future financing of long-term care in Ireland, which was commissioned by the Department of Social and Family Affairs, examined issues surrounding the financing of long-term care. Following the publication of this report, 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.

The group is examining service issues in regard to home care and residential care and funding mechanisms to support initiatives that may be proposed in regard to those services. The group will report in the near future to both the Tánaiste and Minister for Social and Family Affairs and it is likely that the Government will seek the views of stakeholders later this year on any proposals put forward by the group.

It will be appreciated that since the value of persons' pensions is unknown, it is not possible to cost the proposal. Under the Nursing Homes (Subvention) Regulations 1993 the Health Service Executive in assessing the means of an applicant for subvention shall disregard income equivalent to one fifth of the weekly rate of the old age non-contributory pension.

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