John McGuinness
Question:307 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health and Children when payment of outstanding subvention will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if this payment will be expedited. [28690/01]
Written Answers. - Nursing Home Subventions.
John McGuinness
Question:319 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will arrange payment of outstanding subvention to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; if funding to cover these outstanding payments has been made available to the South-Eastern Health Board; and when the outstanding payments due will be made. [28811/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 307 and 319 together.
The provision which allowed for the assessment of the capacity of the adult sons and/or daughters of older people who applied for nursing home subventions to contribute towards the cost of their parent's nursing home care was deleted from 1 January 1999. As the Deputy is aware, it has been decided that moneys should be paid to those who were adversely affected by this provision.
A group representing the Department, the health boards and the Eastern Regional Health Authority was established to ensure that this process is carried out on a uniform basis as speedily as possible. Instructions as to how the payments should be made issued recently from my Department and funding has been made available to commence the making of these payments from 1 November 2001.
On the cases referred to by the Deputy, as the provision of health services in the Kilkenny and Carlow areas is a matter for the South Eastern Health Board, I have asked the chief executive officer of the board to investigate the cases and respond directly to the Deputy as a matter of urgency.