Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 January 2010
309 Deputy Jan O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Health and Children the date on which the fair deal scheme commenced for persons who are already in a nursing home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48254/09]
View answerThe Nursing Homes Support Scheme commenced on the 27th October 2009. Individuals who were in long-term nursing home care prior to that date can retain their existing arrangements or they can apply for the new scheme. For all new entrants to long-term nursing home care after that date, the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, is the single system of State Support for such care. The legislation provides that applicants to the scheme who were in an approved nursing home on the date the scheme commenced shall have their State Support backdated to that date. Moreover, the HSE's Guidelines on the Standardised Implementation of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme state that, subject to overall resources, people who enter nursing homes after the commencement of the scheme will have their support paid either from the date that the application was made or from date of admission to the nursing home, whichever is the later.
