Michael Noonan
Question:264 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Health and Children the estimated cost of increasing the nursing home subvention by 50%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23306/00]
Written Answers. - Nursing Home Subventions.
Under the Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990, health boards provide subvention to assist persons in meeting the costs of nursing home care. However, it was never intended that subvention would meet the full costs involved.
There are three rates of subvention payable – £70, £95, £120 – in accordance with three levels of dependency, medium, high and maximum. Based on the latest figures available to my Department, there are 6,095 persons in receipt of nursing home subventions and the budget for the scheme this year is £38.4 million. To increase the rates of subvention by 50% across the three levels of dependency is estimated to cost approximately £17.5 million.
The amount of funding allocated to supporting older people in private nursing homes has been significantly increased by this Government since 1997 and my priority is to ensure that health boards have adequate resources to meet the increasing demands on the scheme in respect of rising numbers and growing levels of dependency. The question of increasing the rates of subvention will be kept under review in light of the availability of funding and competing priorities.