Written answers

Tuesday, 7 March 2023

Department of Health

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Photo of Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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647. To ask the Minister for Health if the audit of TAPS payments undertaken by both the NTPF and the HSE has been delivered to him; if so, if he will publish the audit in full; if it is not complete, if he will indicate an expected date of the report to be before him, and subsequently published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11431/23]

Photo of Mary ButlerMary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Government has provided substantial supports to the nursing home sector over the course of the pandemic. Over €147 million has been claimed by nursing homes under the Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme (TAPS) since its introduction in 2020. The Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme (TAPS) COVID-19 Outbreak Assistance was extended to the end of December 2022 and the Department of Health intends to further extend availability of the scheme to the end of March 2023.

A robust control framework was put in place for the Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme, including requirements for validation, review of claims by an external accountancy firm, and provision for all claims to be audited and any misallocated funds clawed back for up to six years following. The thresholds also provided a strong control on costs.

Claims to the scheme were administered by the NTPF (National Treatment Purchase Fund), with the HSE validating and processing payments.

Internal audits of the scheme have been finalised by the NTPF and HSE. The NTPF and the HSE have also undertaken to carry out an audit of payments, which is ongoing. Finalisation of the audit of payments will require ongoing contact with third parties, but both agencies are working to bring this to a conclusion as soon as possible.

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