Fair deal scheme changes will benefit older people in Laois – Minister Flanagan

Laois/Offaly TD and Minister for Justice & Equality, Charlie Flanagan has said that changes to the treatment of farms and businesses under the Fair Deal Scheme is a great development for older people and their families.

Fair Deal is a scheme under which the cost of nursing home care is managed through the HSE paying either the full or part of the cost. The scheme allows those responsible with paying the resident’s portion to defer the charges.

Minister Flanagan was speaking after Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting. 

“I’m delighted that the Government has decided to make the Fair Deal scheme even fairer. The Programme for a Partnership Government committed to remove discrimination against small business and family farms under the scheme.

“The Government has now agreed to extend this three year cap to farms and businesses where a family successor continues to operate the farm or business for six years.

“This is a very welcome move. It will go some way to easing the pressure on older people and their families here in County Laois.  I want to thank my colleague Minister of State, Jim Daly for his hard work on this,” he said.

Under the current regime, farm and business owners are required to give the State 7.5pc of the value of their land for each year spent in a nursing home. This will now be capped at three years.

The changes will allow farmers to continue to run the family business without the fear of losing it.