Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 111: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the widespread frustration among elderly people who are entitled to their money back under the nursing home repayment scheme but can neither get their money nor information from the scheme; the action she will take to inform these people of their position; if she will ensure that if someone dies before they receive their money their application will still be processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6251/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I am aware of a number of individual cases where people have experienced problems in accessing information in relation to the repayment scheme. However, I understand that this has been addressed.

The health repayment scheme is administered by the Health Service Executive (HSE) in conjunction with the appointed Scheme Administrator KPMG/McCann Fitzgerald.

The HSE has informed the Department that over 25,000 forms have been submitted to the Scheme Administrator applying for repayments and these applications are being processed at present. The timeframe for repayment is predicated primarily on whether the applicant is alive as living people who were wrongly charged will be prioritised to receive repayments. It is estimated that there are now in the region of 14,000 people within this category, approximately 10,000 of whom have already applied.

The HSE has advised that offers of repayment commenced in November 2006 and that the first payments issued in December 2006 with further payments continuing on an ongoing basis. The HSE has indicated that over €19 million has been repaid to date and that the average repayment is approximately €21,000. It is expected that the bulk of payments to estates will commence later in the Spring. Provision has been made for applications to be received up to 1 January 2008.

A dedicated website, an information phone line and an e-mail facility have been established by the Scheme Administrator to assist the public in accessing claim forms and general information on the scheme. The information line operates between the hours of 8.00 am and 9.00 pm from Monday to Saturday. To date approximately 33,000 call centre queries have been dealt with.

In relation to repayments to patients who die before payment is made, the legislation provides that if the relevant person dies on or after 9 December 1998, the legal representative of the estate of the relevant person or the person entitled to extract a grant of representation can submit an application. If a patient dies during the application process, the application ceases as there is no longer a person to whom payment can be made. Based on advice from the Attorney General, a new application has to be made by the person's Estate.