Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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670. To ask the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the nursing home support scheme. [3108/13]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Nursing Homes Support Scheme, A Fair Deal, provides financial support for people assessed as needing long-term nursing home care. The scheme is founded on the basis that long-term care should be affordable and that a person should receive the same level of State support whether they choose a public, voluntary or private nursing home. Nursing home residents in receipt of financial support under the Scheme contribute towards the cost of their care according to their means.

In 2012, the HSE's total gross budget for long-term residential care was €994.7m. At the end of November there were 22,223 people in receipt of financial support towards the cost of long-term nursing home care. The HSE's 2013 Service Plan sets a target of 22,761 people to be in receipt of financial support at end-2013. Increasing the level of the asset contribution from 5% to 7.5% will contribute to the sustainability of the Scheme and will enable additional applicants to be supported in 2013. It has to be borne in mind that, during 2013, the HSE is required to achieve €721m of savings from its overall budget.

The Scheme contains several important safeguards which ensure that both the person in the nursing home and their spouse/partner, if applicable, are adequately provided for:

1. Nobody will pay more than the actual cost of care.
2. The first €36,000 for a person's assets, or €72,000 for a couple, is not taken into account during the financial assessment.
3. The principal residence is only included in the financial assessment for the first three years of a person's time in care.
4. Where an individual's assets include land and property in the State, the contribution based on such assets may be deferred and collected from their estate. This is the optional Nursing Home Loan element of the scheme.
5. Individuals keep a personal allowance of 20% of their income, or 20% of the maximum rate of the State Pension (Non-Contributory), whichever is the greater.
6. If there is a spouse/partner remaining at home, s/he will retain 50% of the couples income, or the maximum rate of the State Pension (Non-Contributory), whichever is the greater. Certain items of expenditure, called allowable deductions, can be taken into account during the financial assessment. These allowable deductions include health expenses.
7. There is a financial review mechanism which takes account of the fluctuating value of assets and the fact that cash assets will naturally deplete over time as payments are made to the nursing home etc.