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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 17 Dec 1996

Vol. 473 No. 1

Written Answers. - Nursing Home Subvention.

Kathleen Lynch

Ceist:

14 Kathleen Lynch asked the Minister for Health the total amount paid in subventions for individuals to private nursing homes in respect of qualified people; the number of public long-stay geriatric beds currently available; the proposals, if any, he has to increase the number of such beds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24518/96]

Limerick East): Since the introduction of the Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990, on 1 September 1993 to 31 October 1996, 9,731 subventions have been approved. This year, just under £17 million has been made available to the health boards to fund subventions under the Act. There are currently 18,678* beds available in public long stay hospitals.

The Health Strategy recognises that the rapid rise in the number of elderly people will pose a special challenge to the health services in the coming years. Last year, I made £3 million in capital funding available to the health boards to commence work in new community nursing units for the elderly and to carry out remedial work on some existing units. A further £2 million has been allcoated in 1996 to continue these developments.

*Source: Department of Health Survey of Long-Stay Units 1994.

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