Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990

Payments by health boards towards costs of maintenance of dependent persons in nursing homes.

7.—(1) (a) Where, following an assessment by a health board of the dependency of a dependent person and of his means and circumstances, the health board is of opinion that the person is in need of maintenance in a nursing home and is unable to pay any or part of its costs, it may, if the person enters or is in a nursing home, and subject to compliance by the home with any requirements made by the board for the purpose of its functions under this section, pay to the home such amount in respect of such maintenance as it considers appropriate having regard to the degree of the dependency and to the means and circumstances of the person.

(b) In paragraph (a) “nursing home” includes an institution referred to in section 2 (1) (h)

(2) The Minister may by regulations prescribe the amounts that may be paid by health boards under this section and such amounts may be specified by reference to specified degrees of dependency, specified means or circumstances of dependent persons or such other matters as the Minister considers appropriate.