Written answers

Tuesday, 26 June 2007

Department of Health and Children

Health Repayment Scheme

10:00 pm

Photo of James BannonJames Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 318: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the steps she will take to expedite payment under the national repayment scheme to elderly widows or widowers of deceased persons whose money was taken unlawfully, but are denied recompense due to priority being given to affected persons who are still living; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17503/07]

Photo of Mary HarneyMary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The health repayment scheme was launched in August 2006 and is administered by the Health Service Executive (HSE) in conjunction with the appointed Scheme Administrator KPMG/McCann Fitzgerald.

The position at 15th June, 2007 was that 3,200 offers of repayment, with a value of approximately €60m have been issued by the scheme administrator. Arising from these offers approximately 1,800 repayments with a value of approximately €38m have been made to date. This rate of repayment is lower than had been projected. I understand from the HSE that this is due to a number of factors including the legal and technical requirements, a high level of deficiencies in the application forms submitted to the scheme administrator and complexities in the operation of the probate process.

In accordance with the Health (Repayment Scheme) Act 2006 priority has been given to repaying living applicants as they were most immediately affected. However, the repayments to estates has now commenced. In relation to elderly widows or widowers of deceased persons and the priority that should be given to their claims, the HSE has put additional resources in place to encourage both the completion of application forms for clients in vulnerable client groups and to ensure that these claims (in particular where there is an elderly spouse who could benefit) are processed as quickly as possible.

The HSE is monitoring the operation of the repayment scheme and has agreed a range of initiatives with the scheme administrator to speed up the repayment process. The closing date for receipt of applications is 31st December 2007 and I have been informed by the HSE that final repayments should be made by mid 2008.

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