David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 49: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the details of the people who are regarded as having full eligibility to repayment of long stay charges under the Health (Repayment Scheme) Act 2006; if her Department has conducted research into the number eligible for repayments under this scheme and the potential cost of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13095/09]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 67: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the deadlines which have been set for the repayment of charges to persons or estates of persons under the Health (Repayment Scheme) Act 2006; the number of claims received under the repayment scheme; the number approved for payment; the number which have been paid to date; the number pending; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13096/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 67 together.

The Health (Repayment Scheme) Act 2006 provides the framework for the repayment of recoverable health charges to those who were incorrectly charged for publicly funded long stay care. The Act only provides for prescribed repayments to be made in respect of recoverable health charges. Recoverable health charges are charges for in-patient services, imposed on persons with full eligibility, under the Health (Charges for In-Patient Services) Regulations 1976, as amended, and the Institutional Assistance Regulations 1954. For the purpose of the Scheme both medical card holders and those entitled to medical cards are deemed to be persons with full eligibility.

The estates of all those fully eligible persons who were incorrectly charged and who died since 9 December 1998 are eligible for repayment under the scheme provided a valid application form was submitted prior to the closing date. It is anticipated that of the 35,000 applications received under the scheme, approximately 14,200 applications will be rejected and the remaining 20,800 valid applications will result in repayments with a potential cost of approximately €414m. Over 33,400 or 95% of applications have been concluded to date. Almost 19,900 offers of repayment totalling more than €392m have issued and, within this, 16,800 repayments have been completed to the value of €370m. There are in the region of 1,500 claims remaining to be concluded and it is anticipated that the vast majority of these remaining claims will be processed by the end of April.