The review of the Fair Deal scheme will be completed “in the coming months”, Minister for Older People Kathleen Lynch has informed Dáil Eireann. Minister Lynch stated in the Dáil on 15th April “Work on the review is ongoing. It is expected that the review will be completed in the coming months and the report will then be made publicly available.”

Minister Lynch was responding to a question from Deputy Brendan Griffin, Fine Gael, Kerry, who asked the Minister for Health “if he is concerned that there seems to be inconsistency and a lack of transparency in the method of calculating a payment rate for individual nursing homes under the Fair Deal scheme; the broad differences of payment rates that exist for similar facilities with similar overheads in similar locations; if he will challenge the National Treatment Purchase Fund to justify its decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter”.

Replying on behalf of Minister for Health James Reilly, Minister Lynch said: “One of the terms of reference for the review is an examination of the overall cost of long-term residential care in public and private nursing homes and the effectiveness of the current methods of negotiating/setting prices. Work on the review is on-going. It is expected that the review will be completed in the coming months and the report will then be made publicly available.”