12 Samh 2019, 13:49
The President of the Irish Farmers’ Association will discuss amendments to the Fair Deal Scheme when he appears before the Health Committee tomorrow, Wednesday, 13 November. Officials from the Department of Health will also outline the measures contained in the draft bill prepared by Government.
The meeting takes place in Leinster House, Committee room 3 at 9am.
Speaking before the meeting, Committee chair, Dr Michael Harty TD said: “The Nursing Homes Support Scheme or Fair Deal scheme provides essential financial support for those in need of long term, residential care. The current scheme, while oversubscribed, is not applied evenly across sectors when it determines what financial support must be made available by applicants and this is particularly the case with the farming community.”
“The review of the draft legislation will give the Committee an opportunity to critically examine how the legislation can be applied more effectively and Members will have an opportunity to propose further changes prior to the drafting of the Bill to amend the scheme.”
Separately, representatives from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation will appear before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health, in Leinster House, Committee room 3, tomorrow, Wednesday at 11.30am.
General Secretary of the INMO, Phil Ni Sheaghdha is scheduled to appear before the Committee as it resumes its hearings on workforce planning in the health sector.
Dr Michael Harty TD said: “The hearing provides an opportunity to discuss how the nursing workforce is deployed; the challenges that are being faced by nurses especially in our acute hospitals; and the opportunities for specialisation which will deliver more effective health care with particular reference to care in the community .”
Watch the meeting in Committee room 3 live.