I propose to take Questions Nos. 485 and 492 together.
The Minister for Health agreed to the amendment to the backdating provision in the HSE's National Guidelines for the Standardised Implementation of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme subject to certain assurances from the HSE. Among these were the fact that average processing times for complete applications should not exceed 4-6 weeks and that geographical location would not disadvantage applicants. However, it should be noted that a significant volume of applications are submitted to the HSE without the necessary supporting documentation. This can create delays which are outside of the HSE’s control. It is my understanding that the HSE is currently processing complete applications within the 4-6 week timeframe.