Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 280: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the draft national quality standards for residential care settings in respect of older people; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35702/08]

Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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Earlier this year the Board of the Health Information and Quality Authority submitted the draft standards that the Deputy is referring to, for approval by the Minister for Health and Children, as required under section 10(2) of the Health Act, 2007. These draft standards are currently under consideration by the Department.

The draft standards and the Regulations required to underpin them are subject to a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) before finalisation. The RIA process has commenced and it is intended to have the RIA finalised and both the approved standards and Regulations in place in 2009.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 281: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on the availability of physiotherapy, chiropody, dental care, occupational therapy and other essential services for older people who are resident in private nursing homes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35703/08]

Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Act, 1970 (as amended) provides for two categories of eligibility for all persons ordinarily resident in the country, i.e. full eligibility (medical card) and limited eligibility (all others). Entitlement to a medical card is determined mainly by reference to means, with provision for discretion to grant a card in cases of 'undue hardship' where the income guidelines are exceeded, while individuals in the second category are required to pay for certain services.

Medical card holders are entitled to a full range of services including general practitioner services, prescribed drugs and medicines, all in-patient public hospital services in public wards including consultants services, all out-patient public hospital services including consultants services, dental, ophthalmic and aural services and appliances and a maternity and infant care service. Determination of eligibility for medical cards is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive. Individuals with medical cards residing in nursing homes have the same eligibility to services as those in the community.

I believe that the availability of services such as of physiotherapy, chiropody, dental care and occupational therapy should not be dependent on where the individual is residing.

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 282: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the funding allocated in 2008 to both Limerick City and west Limerick in respect of home care packages; the funding she will provide in 2009 in respect of home care packages in Limerick City and in west Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35709/08]

Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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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 by the Deputy. The Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.