Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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441. To ask the Minister for Health the number of applications under the nursing home support scheme approved and awaiting funding as of 13 November 2015. [41832/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Nursing Homes Support Scheme, which commenced in 2009, provides financial support towards the cost of long-term residential care services in nursing homes. The HSE operates a national placement list for the Scheme to enable it to operate within budget. All applicants who are approved for funding are put on the placement list in chronological order by the date of determination of their application, and funding issues to applicants in this order to ensure equity nationally. As of 13th November 2015 there were 163 people on the national placement list awaiting funding, down from almost 2,000 in late 2014. The average waiting time on the national placement list is currently 3-4 weeks, down from almost 17 weeks in late 2014 and 11 weeks in March 2015.