Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 145: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the money which she had made available in the 2009 Estimates for implementation of the nursing home support scheme; if it will be funded on a demand led basis from the date of its introduction; the number of months she expects this budget to cover for the scheme; and the planned commencement date. [45919/08]

Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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Budget 2009 provided €55 million for the implementation of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme next year. This brings the total funding in the subhead for long-term residential care in 2009 to €909 million. However, the timeframe for commencement of the scheme will be contingent upon the passage of the legislation through the Houses of the Oireachtas and the successful negotiation by the National Treatment Purchase Fund of agreed prices for the scheme Within this context, and the operation of subhead B16 during 2009, I anticipate that the Scheme will commence during the second half of 2009.

The existing requirement on the HSE, under the 1970 Health Act as amended, to make available long-term residential care is subject to the overall resources available to the HSE. The Nursing Homes Support Scheme will also incorporate a resource limit and will not be demand-led. Each year the Government will have the opportunity to allocate whatever resources it considers appropriate to meet the needs of applicants under the Scheme. This will ensure there is an incentive to seek value for the taxpayer when agreeing prices for nursing home places in both public and private nursing homes. It will also highlight the need to avoid inappropriate admissions to long-term care and the importance in that context of continuing to develop and fund alternative community- based support services.