Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Act 2021

Application by partner of deceased person for appointment of family successor

14. The Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 14K (inserted by section 13 ):

“14L. (1) This section applies where—

(a) a family successor has been appointed in respect of a person (in this section referred to as the ‘relevant person’) in relation to a particular family asset,

(b) the relevant person dies,

(c) immediately before the death, the period to which the undertaking given by that family successor in relation to the particular family asset under section 14A(3)(d), 14F(8)(b), 14G(4)(b) or 14H(5)(b) relates has not expired,

(d) the Executive has made a determination under section 7(8)(a) that the relevant person’s partner (in this section referred to as ‘the partner’) needs care services,

(e) the Executive has made a determination under section 11(1) in relation to the partner,

(f) the partner is receiving care services, and

(g) the partner falls into one or more of the following categories—

(i) he or she has an interest in a farm,

(ii) he or she has an interest in a relevant business,

(iii) he or she had an interest in a farm which is a transferred asset, or

(iv) he or she had an interest in a relevant business which is a transferred asset.

(2) On the application of the partner, the Executive shall—

(a) if satisfied that the conditions in subsection (3) are met, appoint the person specified in the application as the family successor in respect of the partner in relation to the interest that the partner has or (in the case of a transferred asset) had in the particular family asset, or

(b) if not so satisfied, refuse the application.

(3) The conditions referred to in subsection (2)(a) are—

(a) that a repayment event has not occurred in relation to the particular family asset,

(b) that any determination made under section 14C(2)(a) has not been revoked,

(c) that, where a determination was made under section 14C(2)(a) in respect of the relevant person, the person specified in the application is the family successor appointed in respect of the relevant person,

(d) that, where no determination was made under section 14C(2)(a) in respect of the relevant person, the person specified in the application is—

(i) the family successor appointed in respect of the relevant person,

(ii) a relative of the relevant person or of the partner, or

(iii) a son-in-law or daughter-in-law of the relevant person or of the partner,

(e) that the partner declares by way of statutory declaration that, in relation to the particular family asset, for a period of 3 years (which period need not be continuous) during the period of 5 years ending on the date on which the partner began to receive care services, a substantial part of the working time of—

(i) the partner,

(ii) the person specified in the application,

(iii) any other person appointed as a family successor in respect of the relevant person, or

(iv) the relevant person,

was regularly and consistently applied to running the family asset,

(f) that the person specified in the application undertakes by way of statutory declaration that, if appointed as a family successor in respect of the partner under subsection (2), a substantial part of that person’s normal working time will regularly and consistently be applied to running the family asset during the period beginning on the date of his or her appointment under subsection (2)(a) and ending on the expiry of the period to which the undertaking given by the family successor in respect of the relevant person under section 14A(3)(d), 14F(8)(b), 14G(4)(b) or 14H(5)(b) in relation to that particular family asset relates,

(g) that, except where the application relates to a relevant business which does not include an interest in land situated within the State—

(i) in a case where the particular family asset is not a transferred asset, the partner and any other owner of the particular family asset, or

(ii) in a case where the particular family asset is a transferred asset, the person specified in the application and any other owner of the transferred asset,

each consent to the creation by virtue of section 14B(1) of a further charge in favour of the Executive against the interest in the chargeable land in respect of the particular family asset, and

(h) that, where the particular family asset is a transferred asset, each owner of the transferred asset consents to the making of the application.

(4) Where no determination under section 14C(2)(a) was made in respect of the relevant person, the period beginning with the appointment of a family successor in respect of the relevant person and ending with the death of the relevant person shall be taken into account in reckoning the period mentioned in subsection (3)(f).

(5) The Executive may appoint more than one person as a family successor in respect of the partner in accordance with this section.

(6) An application under this section shall be made in the specified form.

(7) In deciding an application under this section—

(a) the Executive may request information from, and interviews with, the partner, the person specified in the application and any representative (whether appointed under section 21 or otherwise) of the partner, and

(b) the Executive may request, receive and consider records and information relating to the partner and the person specified in the application whether received pursuant to section 45 or otherwise.

(8) The persons referred to in subsection (7) shall furnish all information and attend any interviews which the Executive may request in accordance with this section.

(9) The Executive may refuse to consider or further consider an application under this section if a person referred to in subsection (7) fails to provide the Executive with such information as may be requested by the application form or under that subsection within 40 working days from the date of the request.

(10) Where the Executive refuses under subsection (9) to consider or further consider an application under this section, it shall, not later than 10 working days after the refusal, give the partner and the person specified in the application notice in writing of the decision and the reasons for the decision.

(11) The Executive shall, not later than 10 working days after granting or refusing an application under this section, give notice in writing to the partner and the person specified in the application of the decision and the reasons for the decision.”.