Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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330. To ask the Minister for Health if the HSE has discretion inthe application of a certain rule (details supplied) under the nursing home support scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53578/17]

Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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The Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS) is a system of financial support for those in need of long-term nursing home care. Participants contribute to the cost of their care according to their income and assets while the State pays the balance of the cost. The Scheme aims to ensure that long-term nursing home care is accessible and affordable for everyone and that people are cared for in the most appropriate settings.

In order to determine how much an applicant will contribute to the cost of their care, a financial assessment is carried out by the HSE which takes account of a person's income and assets. As part of this assessment, the HSE identifies any income or assets that the applicant and his/her partner may have deprived themselves of in the five years leading up to their application, or at any time on or subsequent to the date on which the application for financial support under the Scheme is first made. Such assets are defined in the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act, 2009 as 'transferred assets' and 'transferred income'. Under the legislation there are no exemptions in relation to transferred assets.

Applicants to the scheme can request their financial assessment to be reviewed if 12 months have passed since the original assessment or if the HSE is satisfied that their has been a material change to their financial assessment. It should be noted that a person's principal private residence is only included in the financial assessment for the first three years of the applicant's time in care.