Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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686. To ask the Minister for Health in respect of the fair deal scheme, where a person's family home is rented out while the person is in long stay care, if it is the rental income or capital value of the home that is taken into account in assessing the contribution to be paid towards the person's care,; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31471/14]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Nursing Homes Support Scheme is a system of financial support for individuals in need of long-term nursing home care. Under the Scheme, nursing home residents contribute towards the cost of their nursing home care based on their means, and the HSE pays the balance.

For the purposes of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, any rent collected from a property belonging to an applicant is classed as income. The value of a person's principal private residence is classed as an asset. Individuals contribute up to 80% of their assessable income (which would include any rental income) and a maximum of 7.5% of the value of any assets per annum towards their cost of care. The first €36,000 of an individual's assets, or €72,000 in the case of a couple, is not counted at all in the financial assessment . An individual's principal residence is only included in the financial assessment for the first three years of their time in care.