James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 148: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the status of the proposed fair deal nursing home legislation; if the legal drafting difficulties have been successfully addressed; when the legislation will come before the Houses of the Oireachtas; her views on interim arrangements for families who are being forced to sell homes while this legislation is delayed; if her Department has consulted with the stakeholders, in particular Age Action Ireland, who are looking for consultation on the proposed legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12813/08]

Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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The Bill providing for the Fair Deal scheme is being finalised by the Office of the Attorney General at present. The legislation is complex, demanding careful consideration in the course of drafting. It would not be appropriate to comment further until the Bill has been brought before the Government for approval.

My colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, intends to publish the Bill as soon as possible following finalisation by the Attorney General and Government approval, and to bring the legislation through the Houses of the Oireachtas thereafter. Interim arrangements, such as the one referred to by the Deputy, will be a matter for the Government approval. In the meantime, an additional 300 long-stay residential care beds are being made available in early 2008. 200 of these beds have been contracted in private nursing homes with the remainder being provided by a new Community Nursing Unit due to open in St. Mary's in the Phoenix Park, Dublin.

Since the announcement of the new scheme, my Department has met with the National Federation of Pensioners' Associations, the Irish Farmers Association, the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament and the Social Partners (which includes Age Action Ireland). The Department also attended the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament AGM at its request and participated in a workshop on the new scheme. On publication of the Bill, further engagement will take place with stakeholders on the details of the new scheme. This will take place under the auspices of Towards 2016.