Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 151: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if the moneys used to pay for treatments not covered by the fair deal scheme will be discounted from the Health Service Executive's assessment of the disposable income of persons partaking in this scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35303/09]

Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, a person will contribute a maximum of 80% of their assessable income towards the cost of care and must retain at least 20% of their assessable income or 20% of the maximum rate of the State Pension (non-Contributory), whichever is the greater. In calculating a person's assessable income, the HSE will take certain items of expenditure, termed "allowable deductions" into account. Part 3B of the application form for the scheme allows applicants to provide details of allowable deductions. One of the categories of allowable deductions is health expenses to which section 469 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 applies. This category allows health expenses that have not been recouped from either the Revenue Commissioners or a private health insurance company to be taken into account.

Finally, it should also be noted that the majority of nursing home residents will have a medical card and will, therefore, be entitled to a range of supports and services under their existing medical card arrangements.