Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 1 May 1990

Vol. 398 No. 1

Written Answers. - Nursing Home Care of Elderly.

Edward Nealon

Ceist:

197 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a number of elderly people from the Sligo and Leitrim areas are now resident in privately run old persons homes or nursing homes for whom no maintenance is being paid by the North Western Health Board; that this is causing a great hardship to the families of a number of these people; and the criteria for payment of a subsidy for the pensions of these people, in meeting the cost of the old persons' homes or nursing homes.

Minister for Health (Dr. O'Hanlon)

Health boards may pay a subvention towards the cost of care in an approved nursing home under section 54, Health Act, 1970. Nursing homes are approved by the Minister for Health. No new nursing homes have been approved since 1980 due to financial constraints on the health services.

In assessing a person as eligible for a subvention in an approved nursing home, the North-Western Health Board takes into account his or her medical condition, financial circumstances and whether alternative accommodation can be provided by the board.

The Health (Nursing Homes) Bill, 1989, which is at Committee Stage in the Dáil, will introduce a new system of subvention. Health boards will be able to pay a subvention towards the cost of care in any nursing home licensed by a health board. The legislation provides for the payment of subventions on the basis of an assessment by the health board, of the person's need for nursing home care and of his or her ability to pay part or all of the costs involved. I hope that this new system will be in place before the end of this year.