Vol. 537 No. 2
250 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Health and Children if there are any price controls on the fees charged to patients in private nursing homes; if he will make such regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15931/01]
Under the Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990, health boards provide subventions to assist persons in meeting the costs of nursing home care. However, it was never intended that subventions would meet the full costs involved. The placement of a person in a private nursing home and the fees charged is a private arrangement between the nursing home and the individual resident. Accordingly, my Department has no function in relation to the setting of private nursing home fees nor is it within my legislative power to introduce a mechanism for setting such fees.
