Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 261: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding an application for refund of moneys under the national repayment scheme for a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [31150/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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As the Health Service Executive has responsibility for administering the Health Repayment Scheme, enquiries relating to the scheme are referred to the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive. My Department has asked the HSE to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued to the Deputy.

Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 262: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the progress on the implementation of her plan to refund nursing home charges; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31151/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Health (Repayment Scheme) Act 2006 was signed by the President on 23 June 2006 and the legislative provisions of the Act came into effect on 30 June 2006. The repayment scheme was launched publicly by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the scheme administrator KPMG/McCann Fitzgerald on 14 August 2006. A national advertising campaign and a helpline also commenced on this date.

The HSE have informed the Department that 22,000 application forms have been issued, of which to date 11,500 forms including over 3,000 probate forms have been returned.

It is anticipated that notification of the calculated amount of repayment due, in the case of applications received in respect of approximately 9,000 claims which have been validated by the scheme administrator, will issue in October. On receipt of these notifications, applicants will have a period of 28 days in which to reject or appeal the calculated amount of repayment due prior to the issue of the money by the Health Service Executive. Provision has been made for applications to be received up to 1 January 2008 and it is anticipated that all applications will have been received by this date, however if necessary the cut off date for receipt of applications can be extended.