Under the Health Act 2007, statutory responsibility is given to the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), for the independent registration and inspection of designated centres providing residential services for older people. Since 2009 all nursing homes whether public, voluntary or private are registered and inspected by HIQA. Registration details in respect of each designated centre are available on-line at www.hiqa.ie.
The Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS), commonly referred to as Fair Deal, is a system of financial support for people who require long-term residential care. Participants contribute to the cost of their care according to their means while the State pays the balance of the cost. The Scheme aims to ensure that long-term nursing home care is accessible and affordable for everyone and that people are cared for in the most appropriate settings.
The Budget for long term residential care in 2018 was €961.6 million (Private €646.1 million and Public €315.5 million). This has increased to €985.8 million in 2019.