Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 171: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the social partners who agreed that 5% of the value of an elderly person's house is taken into account for subvention purposes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35503/06]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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The practice of imputing 5% of the value of a person's principal private residence in certain defined circumstances is not new. It has applied since the introduction of the subvention scheme under Regulations made in 1993. The Health (Nursing Homes) Act 1990 and the Nursing Homes Regulations 1993 provide for the payment of subvention for private nursing home care for applicants who qualify on both medical and means grounds. General rules for the assessment of means in respect of an application for nursing home subvention are set out in the Second Schedule of the Nursing Homes Regulations 1993, as amended by the Nursing Homes(Subvention)(Amendment) Regulations 2005.

When carrying out a means test for the purposes of subvention, the applicant's home is not taken into account in certain circumstances, for example, where it is occupied by a spouse, a child under 21 or a relative in receipt of certain social welfare payments. If none of these situations apply, 5% of the imputed value of the person's principal private residence is taken into account as part of the financial assessment. This situation has applied since the subvention regulations were introduced in 1993.

An Inter-Departmental Group was set up to examine financially sustainable models of long-term care. The Group reported to Government, and Government agreed on a number of principles that are reflected in the new social partnership agreement "Towards 2016". That agreement describes a whole range of initiatives covering new arrangements for residential and community care for older people. The Inter-Departmental Group has continued to meet to help draw up proposals for a new policy on long-term care, based on the principles endorsed by Government and the social partners. One of these principles is that, where residential care is required, there should be appropriate and equitable levels of co-payment by care recipients, based on a standardised financial assessment. The aim will be to achieve an equitable, balanced scheme, both for residential and community care, and for both public and private provision.

The Deputy will be aware that the social partners comprise representatives of Government, employers, trade unions, the farming sector and the community and voluntary pillar.