Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 203: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the reason the enhanced subvention payment is not being extended to new applicants in County Mayo at present; if this is Government policy; the further reason this decision is being implemented by the Health Service Executive western area in view of the fact that the highest number of elderly people reside in this area; if she will provide additional funding to the HSE western area specifically for the restoration of the enhanced subvention payment; the number of new applicants who have been refused this payment to date; the number of existing applicants who have been denied an increase in their enhanced subvention payment to date; the number of people in the county of Mayo who have availed of the enhanced subvention payment from 1 January 2006 to date; and the annual cost of this payment in Mayo. [24524/06]

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.

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.

In relation to the issue of funding and the number of applicants for subvention in the Western Area 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.