John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 233: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the enhanced levels of nursing home subvention in each county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33604/08]

Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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The existing subvention scheme is governed by the Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Act 2007. In order to qualify for a subvention, an individual must be:

(a) sufficiently dependent to require maintenance in a nursing home, and

(b) unable to pay any or part of the cost of maintenance in the home. In order to determine this, they must undergo a means assessment which takes account of their income and assets.

Under the Act, the maximum amount for basic subvention is €300 per week. The Act also provides for enhanced subvention to be paid. However, there is no maximum amount set for enhanced subvention. The amount paid is at the discretion of the HSE and will vary depending on the following criteria:

the assessed means of the applicant,

the cost of care in the individual case compared to the level of fees in the locality,

the amount of basic subvention payable,

the amount of resources available for the scheme,

the need for the HSE to ensure that the available resources are distributed in a way that supports applicants as evenly as possible across the country.

In 2007, expenditure by the HSE on nursing home subventions was almost €205 million. This year the Government has redirected an additional €25 million from the overall allocation in respect of the Nursing Home Support Scheme — A Fair Deal — for the purpose of nursing home supports, including subvention.

Finally the deputy has asked about the levels of enhanced subvention in each county. Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services was assigned to the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Therefore, the Executive is the appropriate body to consider the particular matter raised. I am referring the Deputy's query to the HSE for direct reply.