Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 428: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the criteria used for assessment of people seeking subvention assistance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29726/08]

Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 429: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if assets owned by the applicant are taken into consideration in being considered for subvention assistance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29727/08]

Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 428 and 429 together.

The Deputy will be aware that under the Nursing Home Subvention Scheme, which is governed by the Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Act 2007, the Health Service Executive (HSE) can make a payment towards the cost of providing nursing care in a registered private nursing home. In order to qualify for a subvention the individual must be:

sufficiently dependent to require maintenance in a nursing home, and

unable to pay any or part of the cost of maintenance in the home, i.e., they must undergo a means assessment which takes account of income and assets. However, in an improvement to the scheme in 2007, a person's principal private residence is now excluded from the means assessment after three years.

In 2007 the HSE produced National Guidelines for the Standardised Implementation of the Nursing Home Subvention Scheme to all Local Health Offices. These Guidelines are available on the HSE's website. Under the guidelines, the assessment of means is to be carried out using a national standard financial assessment method.