Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 23 Jun 1998

Vol. 492 No. 7

Written Answers. - Nursing Home Subventions.

Brendan Kenneally

Question:

217 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans, if any, there are to increase the amounts available for nursing home subventions in view of the fact that the current figures were set in 1993 and have not changed since; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14902/98]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Dr. Moffat)

The Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990, gives powers to the health boards to enforce high standards of accommodation and care in nursing homes. The Act also introduced a new system of nursing home subventions so that dependent people most in need of nursing care would have access to such care. The scheme is intended to assist persons in meeting costs of nursing home care but it is not intended to meet the full costs involved.

Additional funding was made available by my Department in late 1997 to facilitate health boards in the implementation of nursing homes legislation, including the Nursing Homes (Subvention) (Amendment) Regulations, 1996. These regulations allow boards,inter alia, to pay an enhanced subvention in certain circumstances.

The question of increasing the level of subvention will be considered in the light of the availability of resources and other priorities in respect of the development of services for older people.