Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 443: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if the Health Service Executive has been instructed to divert the €110 million allocated in Budget 2008 for the implementation of the fair deal scheme into other areas of health spending; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12402/08]

Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to confirm to the Deputy that the HSE has not been instructed by either the Government or by my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, to divert the funding of €110 million allocated in Budget 2008 for the implementation of the Fair Deal scheme into other areas of health spending. However, it should be noted that the provision of 200 additional contract nursing home beds by HSE was approved by the Minister for Health and Children in January of this year. The cost of the additional beds is to be met from within the HSE's total financial allocation in respect of long-term residential care services for older people.