Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 622: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if it is the case that when inpatients in nursing homes or psychiatric homes die intestate, their next of kin inherit the total remaining from weekly contributions to the patient private property account under the health repayment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39163/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The Health Service Executive (HSE) administers a patient private property account system to manage the private money of patients in long stay care. When clients die while in the residential care of the HSE their estate is dealt with as per law. In cases where a client has not made a will, all funds or other property of that client being administered by the HSE will be passed to the person most entitled to act as Legal Personal Representative, for the client's estate to be distributed as per law.

In situations where a client dies intestate and where there are no blood relatives to inherit, any proceeds of an individual's estate held on their behalf by the HSE are forwarded to the Chief State Solicitor's office, who acts on behalf of the Minister for Finance, as required by law. In no circumstance does the HSE transfer any funds of a deceased client to its own funds.