An ex gratia payment scheme was initiated by the Government as a goodwill gesture, as it believed that some form of repayment should be made to those with full eligibility who had paid long stay charges. Therefore, a decision was taken to make repayments to people with full eligibility who had paid charges and who were alive on 9 December 2004, the date on which the health agencies were instructed to cease charging.
My Department is currently studying the Supreme Court judgment in detail and will take on board all the consequences for policy and law arising from the judgment. The details of a repayment scheme to address the situation following the Supreme Court decision are currently being finalised.