Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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261. To ask the Minister for Health if he will investigate a matter (details supplied) as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47800/22]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I am acutely aware of the specific challenges faced by the nursing homes sector related to price inflation and increased energy costs. It is imperative that nursing homes manage potential cost pressures in line with their regulatory and contractual responsibilities, maintaining their quality of care so that residents’ lived experience and comfort is not affected. 

The Government has provided substantial supports to the nursing homes sector over the course of the pandemic. Over €144 million has been claimed by nursing homes under the Temporary Assistance Payments Scheme (TAPS) since spring 2020. TAPS continues in effect and the Government has now agreed to extend the scheme to the end of the year. The scheme will be refocused on addressing this year's inflationary pressures related to energy and heating. Details are being finalised and these will be communicated in the coming days.

Substantial additional supports have been provided by the HSE in terms of serial testing, PPE, the deployment of specialist teams and other services. Many of these supports continue. 

Funding to support people to access services in the sector continues to be provided in line with the long-established statutory mechanisms under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009. This is the mechanism established by the Oireachtas to provide for the processes relating to funding under the NHSS and the negotiation of prices for services for private and voluntary providers with the designated State agency, the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF). Maximum prices for individual Nursing Homes are agreed with the NTPF following negotiations and based on the NTPF’s cost criteria. These criteria include:

- Costs reasonably incurred by the nursing home

- Local market prices

- Historic prices

- Overall budgetary capacity

The NTPF carry out this role independently under the NHSS Act 2009 and there is no role for Ministers or the Department in these negotiations.  It should also be noted that the department continues to work with the NTPF to take forward the recommended actions that emerged from the review of the NTPF pricing system published in June 2021.

In addition, the Department is also taking forward the nine recommendations of the Value for Money Review on Nursing Home costs published last December.