Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2023
633. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health when he expects the audit of the €150 million temporary assistance payments scheme for voluntary and private nursing homes to be completed; the date the audit commenced; the number and rank of civil servants who have been allocated to this audit; if that number is adequate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32432/23]
View answerThe COVID-19 Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme (TAPS) was established in April 2020 in response to a public health emergency to provide support to private and voluntary nursing homes to mitigate and respond to the impacts of COVID-19. The core concept of the scheme when it was established was that the State would provide additional funding to those nursing homes that require it to contribute towards costs associated with COVID-19 preparedness, mitigation and outbreak management. The scheme was established on an administrative basis and guidelines were issued by the HSE setting out allowable and non-allowable costs and a robust regime of overall controls.Under the terms of the scheme the NTPF or the HSE would, on a sample and/or risk basis, carry out formal audits of claims made retrospectively and would be supported in this work by professional auditors. In return, nursing homes applying to the scheme needed to provide vouched evidence of COVID-19 expenditure as any expenditure that could not be vouched would be deducted from future claims or NHSS payments. Nursing homes are obliged to retain records for a minimum period of 6 years.Over €150 million has been claimed by nursing homes under the Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme (TAPS) since its introduction. The Outbreak Assistance element of the scheme was extended, with a gradual reduction of the threshold for maximum monthly claim amounts applying to claims from 01 March 2023. The scheme ceased at the end of April 2023. This approach takes account of the changed situation with regard to COVID-19 in Ireland, and the inherently temporary nature of the scheme.The HSE administers the TAPS and makes payments to the nursing homes. The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) administers the application process and provides support and advice to the HSE. Internal audits of the scheme have been finalised by the NTPF and HSE. Audits of the payments under the TAPS scheme, from its inception in April 2020 to its cessation in April 2023, are being completed by the appointed external auditors and remains ongoing. Finalisation of the audit will require ongoing contact with third parties and both agencies are working to bring this to a conclusion as soon as possible.The HSE have advised that the final date for receipt of all outstanding claims was 30 June and it will take several weeks to process those final payments.
