Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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254. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will amend the current legislation and or scheme guidelines to make provision to allow a disregard for the contribution made in respect of nursing home fees under the fair deal scheme, where a member of a couple requires long-term residential care, from the income of a couple for the purposes of establishing an entitlement to State pension (non-contributory); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45681/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Matters in relation to the Nursing Home Support Scheme (the Fair Deal scheme), including the assessment of a couple’s means under that Scheme, are a matter for the Minister for Health.

My Department provides income supports through a mixture of contributory payments, which are based on a person's social insurance record, and means-tested social assistance payments.

The State pension (non-contributory) is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, habitually residing in the State, who do not qualify for a State pension (contributory), or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record.

By its nature, the means test takes account of the income a person or couple has in terms of cash, property - other than the family home - and capital. It does not take account of a person’s expenditure commitments or income tax circumstances so there is no provision under the rules to allow a disregard for any contribution made in respect of expenses including nursing home fees under the Fair Deal scheme.

Any decision to allow a disregard for nursing home fees under the Fair Deal scheme for the means test for State pension (non-contributory) would have budgetary implications and would have to be considered from an overall policy and budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.