Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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670. To ask the Minister for Health his views on funding for a nursing home (details supplied) in County Louth; his plans to address the crisis in nursing home waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41422/14]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The legislation underpinning the Nursing Homes Support Scheme requires all private nursing homes and voluntary nursing homes to negotiate and agree a price for the cost of care with the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) should they wish to participate in the scheme. This is a necessary feature of the scheme due to the commitment by the State to meet the balance of the cost of care over and above a person's contribution.

The NTPF has statutory responsibility for the negotiation of prices with private and voluntary nursing homes. The NTPF is independent in the performance of this function and, in carrying it out, it must ensure value for money and for both the individual and the State. The NTPF negotiates with each nursing home individually and may examine the records and accounts of nursing homes as part of the process. This method of negotiation is necessary in order to ensure than the State obtains the best value for each individual in a nursing home and to comply with competition law.

Funding of €939 million is available to the Nursing Homes Support Scheme in 2014. Applications are processed within 3-4 weeks. Once a determination has been made applicants are put on the placement list in order of their approval date and funding issues to applicants in this chronological order to ensure equity nationally. The HSE operates the national placement list for the Nursing Homes Support Scheme to enable it to operate within budget.

In addition to the €939 million allocated to the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, a further €25 million was allocated to tackle the problem of delayed discharges in Budget 2015. The €25 million will help to ease the situation of the placement list times and the pressure in acute hospitals with beds being taken up by people awaiting a place in a nursing home.