Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health the reason applicants, who have been both medically approved and satisfy means testing, are experiencing a four to five week delay before the fair deal scheme commences [16141/13]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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According to the HSE's Performance Report for December 2012 (the most recent available), 100% of complete NHSS applications were processed within four weeks. An application is complete when the Nursing Home Support Office has received all of the necessary documentation and information required to make a determination. This includes documentary evidence of all income and assets as well as documentation regarding title of any properties owned.

The HSE operates a national placement list to enable it to operate within the budget for the Scheme. Funding is currently being released on a weekly basis. At end of January it was taking an average of 34 days for funding to issue, from the date that the person's application was determined.

The 2013 Service Plan sets a target of 22,761 people to be in receipt of financial support at end-2013, compared to 22,065 at end-2012. Approvals will continue to be granted and the position will be kept under constant weekly review. The HSE is monitoring the Scheme on a weekly basis and has demonstrated its ability to manage this process effectively.