Nursing Home Charges.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 June 2005

Tuesday, 21 June 2005

Questions (188)

Liz McManus

Question:

118 Ms McManus asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the latest information available to her Department regarding the extent of the potential cost to the Exchequer of the illegal charges for nursing home care; the decisions made to date by the Government committee considering the question of repayments; if a decision has been made regarding whether the Statute of Limitations will apply; when the legislation will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20812/05]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children (Ms Harney)

The Government has agreed the key elements of a scheme for the repayment of long-stay charges for publicly funded long-term residential care. All those who were charged and are alive and the estates of all those who were charged and died in the six years prior to 9 December 2004 will have the charges repaid in full. It is estimated that the scheme will cost approximately €1 billion. The decision to limit payments to the estates of those who died in the past six years reflects the reference in the Supreme Court judgment to the Statute of Limitations. The repayments will include both the actual charge paid and an amount to take account of inflation, using the consumer price index.

I intend to bring legislation to provide a clear legal framework for the scheme before the Oireachtas in the autumn. The legislation will include appropriate safeguards to prevent exploitation of those who receive repayments and are not in a position to manage their own financial affairs.