Ned O'Keeffe
Question:149 Mr. N. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding a refund of money due to a person (details supplied) in County Cork in respect of payments made. [32201/01]
Written Answers. - Nursing Home Subventions.
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 and the health boards 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.
In relation to the case referred to by the Deputy, as the provision of health services in the Cork area is a matter for the Southern Health Board, I have asked the chief executive officer of the board to investigate the case and respond directly to the Deputy as a matter of urgency.