Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Health the way the waiting list for NHSS will be administered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2262/13]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Nursing Homes Support Scheme is a demand-led, resource capped system of financial support for individuals who are assessed as requiring long-term nursing home care. The total gross budget for long-term residential care was €994.7m in 2012. The final budget for 2013 will not be available until the Revised Estimates for Public Services are published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

The HSE operates a national placement list to enable it to operate within the budget for the Scheme. All applicants who are approved for funding are put on the placement list in chronological order by the date of determination of their application. Funding issues to applicants in this chronological order to ensure equity nationally. Funding is currently being released on a weekly basis.

The 2013 Service Plan sets a target of 22,761 people to be in receipt of financial support at end 2013. This would be an increase on the current position and allows for growth in 2013. Approvals will continue to be granted and the position will be kept under constant weekly review. The HSE is already monitoring the Scheme on a weekly basis and has demonstrated its ability to manage this process effectively.