Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 107: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the various measures and provisions available to assist the elderly with the cost of nursing homes in the form of subventions and other measures; the measures and schemes available to assist those elderly people to stay in their own homes for a group (details supplied) in Dublin 12; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18903/06]

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.

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.

This Government is committed to developing the various community and home support schemes with a view to enabling older people to remain living in their own homes and communities for as long as possible, in line with their expressed wishes. Additional funding for services for older people amounting to €150 million was allocated in the 2006 Budget. This is the largest ever increase in funding for services for older people and, reflecting the new emphasis on home and day care, almost three quarters of this funding is being committed to community care supports including, among other things, Home Care Packages, the Home Help Service, Sheltered Housing and Day/Respite Care.

Home care packages have been piloted successfully in several regions in recent years, with over 1,100 provided to people at the end of 2005. In Budget 2006, a further €55m (full year cost) was allocated for this area, €30m for 2006 and €25m for 2007. This will allow for the phased introduction of a further 2,000 packages by the end of this year. Home Care Packages are delivered through the HSE, by a range of providers including the Health Service Executive itself, voluntary groups and the private sector. Home Care packages are multidisciplinary and may include services such as nurses, home care attendants, home helps and the various therapists including physiotherapists and occupational therapists. Home Care Packages will be targeted at those people who have maximised their usage of existing core community services and those who might otherwise require long-term residential care.

An additional €33 million full year cost was also allocated for the Home Help service, €30 million of which will be for 2006 and will provide 1.75 million additional home help hours.