Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 198: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if new legislation relating to nursing homes is being contemplated by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31377/05]

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 199: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if a review of nursing homes legislation has been carried out by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31378/05]

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 200: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the person or organisations who participated in any such departmental review of existing legislation which governs the nursing homes sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31379/05]

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 201: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the preparation of new nursing homes legislation was preceded by a departmental review of existing legislation which governs that sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31380/05]

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 202: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the stage at which the preparation of new nursing homes legislation is; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31381/05]

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 203: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the aims and core objectives of planned new legislation governing nursing homes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31384/05]

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 204: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when new and substantive legislation governing nursing homes will be enacted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31385/05]

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 208: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if a set of standards designed to be applicable to all nursing homes has been developed; if not, the stage the development of such standards is presently at; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31407/05]

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 209: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the way in which it is envisaged that any new legislation in this area will interact with a set of standards to be applicable to all nursing homes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31408/05]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 198 to 204, inclusive, and 208 and 209 together.

It is the intention of the Department to put in place a more robust regulatory system as quickly as possible to protect vulnerable older people and to provide for the highest possible standards of care for older people in long-stay facilities.

It is intended that the Health Bill 2005 will establish both the HIQA and the SSI on a statutory basis and will contain provisions to underpin a more robust inspectorial system. The Nursing Homes (Care and Welfare) Regulations 1993, made under the Health (Nursing Homes) Act 1990, set out the standards to which private nursing homes must adhere. The Health Service Executive carries out inspections in private nursing homes. In the context of the Health Bill 2005, the process has begun to review the current system with a view to strengthening the powers available to those involved in inspecting facilities and to extend a strengthened inspection system to public facilities.

It is also intended that the Bill will provide for the setting and monitoring of standards for residential facilities for older people. To this end, the Department has commenced a review of the Nursing Homes (Care and Welfare) Regulations 1993, and will be working in conjunction with the HSE, the SSI and other relevant bodies, with the intention of developing a new set of standards that would apply to all residential services for older people.

The Department is also working on primary legislation to expand the policies and principles of the subvention scheme to facilitate implementation of the scheme by the HSE throughout the country, and it is the intention to bring this legislation before the Oireachtas in the near future. It is also intended to increase the thresholds contained in the Nursing Homes (Subvention) Regulations 1993. These thresholds have not been updated since being set in 1993 and increasing them will render an increased number of people eligible for subvention.