Legislation will be brought before Government today, Tuesday, June 11, to change the status of family farms and businesses in cases where family members are seeking nursing home care.
It is understood that an outline of the bill – brought forward by Minister for Health Simon Harris and the Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People Jim Daly – will be published after today’s cabinet meeting.
People using the scheme contribute up to 80% of their income and up to 7.5% of the value of any assets held towards their cost of care.
The value of a person’s home is only included in the financial assessment for the first three years of their time in a care.
Meanwhile, Minister Daly has previously said that currently, there is no cap on the contributions to the cost of care based on farm and business assets, except in the case where a person in possession of such assets has suffered a sudden illness or disability necessitating long-term residential care.
The policy change to cap contributions based on farm and business assets at three years where a family successor commits to working the productive asset has been approved by Government.