David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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700. To ask the Minister for Health the currently operating statutory basis for the National Treatment Purchase Fund and the National Treatment Purchase Fund board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22699/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) is a corporate body with functions and responsibilities as set out under Statutory Instrument 179 - National Treatment Purchase Fund (Establishment) Order, 2004:

- to make arrangements with persons, whether resident in the State or elsewhere, for the provision of hospital treatment to such classes of persons as may be determined by the Minister, from time to time;

- to collect, collate and validate information in relation to persons waiting for hospital treatment and to put in place information systems and procedures for that purpose;

- to furnish whenever it is so required by the Minister or on its own initiative, advice to the Minister on issues relating to its functions under this Article; and

- to perform any other function in relation to the purchase of hospital treatment that the Minister may from time to time assign to it.

The NTPF has also been designated by the Minister for Health pursuant to Section 40 of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act, 2009 as a body authorised to negotiate with proprietors of registered nursing homes to reach agreement in relation to the maximum price(s) that will be charged for the provision of long-term residential care services to Nursing Homes Support Scheme residents.

Copies of S.I. 179 of 2004 and the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act, 2009 are attached for reference.