Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 139: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the date the nursing home fair deal scheme will become operational; if she will publish a list of supports and services for older people that will be covered under the terms of the fair deal; the level of the cap within the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35171/09]

Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister announced last week that the Nursing Homes Support Scheme will commence on the 27th October 2009. The application form and information booklet for the scheme are now available to the public and may be obtained from the HSE. This will enable people to familiarise themselves with the application form and process, gather necessary information and generally prepare themselves so that they are ready to apply when the scheme is introduced. In addition, the new care representative appointment process has commenced. This allows people to apply to the Circuit Court for appointment as a care representative where they wish to apply for the Nursing Home Loan on behalf of an applicant with reduced capacity.

With regard to the list of supports and services that are covered under the scheme, the Act defines "long-term residential care services" as maintenance, health and personal care services. In the case of public nursing home care, the Minister intends to publish details of the goods and services which constitute "long-term residential care services" provided in public nursing homes and which constitute the total cost of such services in public nursing homes. She will lay this information before the Houses of the Oireachtas on the commencement of the scheme. In the case of private nursing home care, the details of the goods and services which constitute "long-term residential care services" will be listed in the approved nursing home agreement between the National Treatment Purchase Fund and the private provider.

Finally, I understand the Deputy's reference to the level of the cap to refer to the 15% cap on the principal residence and the recommendation in the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes that this be increased to 22.5%. It is not my intention to increase the level of the cap within the scheme.