Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 February 2008

Thursday, 14 February 2008

Questions (84)

Denis Naughten

Question:

77 Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health and Children, further to Parliamentary Question No. 315 of 5 February 2008, the number of appeals which have been rejected by the health repayment scheme appeals office up to 1 February 2008; the number of originally rejected applications which have received an offer following a review by the appeals office; the number of appeals which sought a review of the original offer which were rejected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5807/08]

Written answers

Minister for Health and Children (Deputy Mary Harney)

The Health Repayment Scheme Appeals Office is an independent office established to provide an appeals service to those who wish to appeal the decision of the Scheme Administrator under the Health (Repayment Scheme) Act 2006. The Appeals Office does not reject appeals, it makes a determination as to whether the Scheme Administrator's decision should be upheld.

The Health Repayment Scheme Appeals Office has informed my Department that as of 1 February 2008, the Appeals Office has issued a total of 546 decisions. Of this total figure, 467 cases relate to claimants who were rejected by the Scheme Administrator. In 67 of these cases the Appeals Office has disagreed with the decision of the Scheme Administrator, which will result in an offer being made to the claimant. The remaining 79 cases in which the Appeals Office has issued decisions relate to appeals which sought a review of the original offer from the Scheme Administrator. In 48 of these cases the decision of the Scheme Administrator was upheld by the Appeals Office.