Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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141. To ask the Minister for Health if the Interdepartmental agency working group set up to examine the nursing home subvention scheme is in operation; the number of meetings; if it will seek submissions from interested parties; if the Irish Farmers' Association will have an opportunity to make a presentation to it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3350/16]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Review of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme was published in July 2015. Submissions were sought, in advance, from groups or bodies who wished to make a contribution to the Review, and the Irish Farmers' Association made a submission in this context on which they expanded at a subsequent meeting with officials of the Department of Health.

An Interdepartmental/Agency Working Group has been established to progress the recommendations contained in the Review, and this Group held its initial meeting on 1 December 2015. A further meeting took place on 26 January 2016. The Working Group is due to report on its progress to the Cabinet Committee on Health in June 2016.

This Group will consider the submission already made by the Irish Farmers' Association and will be briefed on the outcome of subsequent discussions with officials. When the Group reaches the point of considering the relevant issues in detail, the need for any further presentations will be considered by the Working Group itself.

Any significant changes ultimately deemed necessary to the Nursing Homes Support Scheme will require legislation and will accordingly be addressed together at the conclusion of the Review implementation process.