Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 162: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of subvention payments per month in each county since 2004; the levels at which payments were made; the number of patients in receipt of top-up subvention payments in this period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18088/06]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, the Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 163: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will increase nursing home subvention payments to meet at least 80 per cent of the cost of nursing homes; the cost of such an increase; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18090/06]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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The Nursing Home (Subvention) Regulations, 1993 are administered by the Health Service Executive. There are currently three rates of subvention payable, i.e. €114.30, €152.40 and €190.50 for the three levels of dependency which are medium, high and maximum. There are no plans to increase the subvention rates at present.

The HSE has discretion to pay more than the maximum rate of subvention relative to an individual's level of dependency in a case, for example, where personal funds are exhausted. The application of these provisions in an individual case is a matter for the HSE in the context of meeting increasing demands for subvention, subject to the provisions of the Health Act, 2004. The average rate of subvention paid by the HSE generally exceeds the current approved basic rates. The supports paid by the HSE vary from person to person and region to region, depending on prices for example. Accordingly, the Department is not in a position to estimate the costs of increasing subventions to meet 80% of the cost of nursing home care.

I wish to advise the Deputy that additional funding of €20 million was provided for the administration of the Nursing Home Subvention Scheme in 2006, bringing the total available budget to €161 million. The €20 million is to support more basic nursing home subventions and reduce waiting lists for enhanced subventions: it is also to bring more consistency to subventions support throughout the country.

The Deputy will be aware that the Tánaiste and Minister Séamus Brennan established a Working Group to identify the policy options for a financially sustainable system of long-term care, including residential care. The report of that Working Group on the Future Financing of Long-Term Care has been presented to Government and is currently being considered by Cabinet.