Local TD Seán Canney has welcomed progress to allow nursing home residents to be able to retain all income from renting out their homes under plans being finalised by the Government.
Under current regulations, those in nursing homes under the Fair Deal scheme must give up 40% of the income from their home if it is placed on the private rental market, making a contribution towards their care.
But Minister Darragh O’Brien announced that 100 per cent of the rental income would be cleared for retention as part of a package of measures to combat housing vacancy.
The Galway East TD said that he understands that Minister O’Brien intends to put in place a working group of officials and Health Service Executive safeguarding teams as well as representatives from NGOs involved in advocacy for older people.
He said that unnecessary delays have been due to concerns within Government which are ‘groundless’.
“Essentially there is no threat to older people as the clinical assessment on the need for long term care is carried out by the HSE who are independent and will not be influenced in any way when making their clinical assessment,” he said.
The Department of Housing estimated last November that just short of 11,000 homes were vacant due to their owners being in residential care settings like nursing homes or long-term hospital stays.
“Lifting the cap on income that can be retained would allow many more homes to be brought on to the market. The present situation acts as a direct and serious disincentive to the properties becoming available for rent,” said Deputy Canney.
