Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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719. To ask the Minister for Health the criteria to qualify for the fair deal scheme; whether there are any income thresholds for applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36476/24]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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To qualify for Fair Deal, an applicant must be ordinarily resident in Ireland and be in need of long-term nursing home care. Applicants need to first undergo a care needs assessment to determine their care requirements and, if long-term care is needed, a financial assessment of means to determine their ability to contribute to the cost of their own care.

The Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS), commonly referred to as Fair Deal, is a system of financial support for people who require long-term residential care. Participants contribute to the cost of their care according to their means while the State pays the balance of the cost. The Scheme aims to ensure that long-term residential care is accessible and affordable for everyone and that people are cared for in the most appropriate settings.

Participants within the NHSS contribute up to 80% of their income (40% if part of a couple) and 7.5% per annum of the value of their assets (3.75% if part of a couple). Assets include cash assets, such as savings, and non-cash assets, such as the principal residence. The first €36,000 (€72,000 if part of a couple) is excluded from assessment.

The value of a person's principal residence is only assessed for contributions for their first three years on the scheme. This is known as the three-year cap, which is intended to protect the value of a principal private residence, along with the other safeguards built into the Financial Assessment which ensure that:• Nobody will pay more than the actual cost of care;• A participant will keep a personal allowance of 20% of their income or 20% of the maximum rate of the State Pension (Non-Contributory), whichever is the greater, and;• If a participant has a spouse or partner remaining at home, they will be left with 50% of the couple’s income or the maximum rate of the State Pension (Non-Contributory), whichever is the greater

It is important to note that regardless of whether an applicant chooses to reside in a public HSE-run Community Nursing Unit or a private/voluntary nursing home, the contribution to the cost of their own care remains the same as it is based on the financial assessment of means.

The NHSS covers the cost of the standard components of long-term residential care which are:• Nursing and personal care appropriate to the level of care needs of the person;• Bed and board;• Basic aids and appliances necessary to assist a person with the activities of daily living; and• Laundry service.

For the purposes of financial assessment, income includes:

• Earnings, including income from farming or business activities• Pension income• Social welfare benefits/allowances• Rental income• Income from holding an office or directorship• Income from fees, commissions, dividends or interest• Any income which you have deprived yourself of in the five years prior to application

Transferred assets and income, defined as assets or income transferred to another person up to five years before a person's application to the scheme, are also assessed.

It should also be noted that although the NHSS covers core living expenses, residents can still incur some costs in a nursing home, such as social programmes, newspapers or hairdressing. In recognition of this, anyone in receipt of financial support under the NHSS retains at least 20% of their income. Under the terms of the NHSS Act 2009, private nursing homes should not levy additional charges on NHSS residents for services coming within scope of the Nursing Home Support Scheme.

A person's eligibility for other schemes, such as the medical card scheme or the drugs payment scheme, is unaffected by participation in the NHSS or residence in a nursing home.

The NHSS currently supports about 23,000 people. Around 80% of those are supported in private nursing homes, with the remainder in public HSE-run facilities (both systems are funded through the NHSS).

An application form can be downloaded directly from the HSE at: or can be obtained from the local Nursing Home Support Office. Contact details for local Nursing Home Support Offices can be found at: .