The Minister with Responsibility for Older People says neither she nor the Health Minister have any role to play in the provision of funding by the NTPF for private nursing homes.
The matter was raised in the Dail after Carechoice announced last week that Beaumont Residential care home is being withdrawn from the Fair Deal Scheme after a breakdown in talks around funding with the National Treatment Purchase Fund.
Carechoice says the funding model used to negotiate with private nursing homes on behalf of the HSE is broken and the shortfall in funding is too wide a gap for them to bridge.
Minister of State Mary Butler says she met with the NTPF last week to discuss the wider issue of funding but says a huge amount of the health budget is already paid to nursing homes.
Speaking in the Dail Deputy Mary Butler says it is not appropriate for her to take part in the negotiating process between nursing homes and the NTPF.
"Neither me, nor Minister Donnelly or the Department have any role to play in the amount of money that is negotiated with the NTPF and any private nursing home that is providing support for older people.
"As I understand engagement continues to the private provider referenced in the details supplied, and the NTPF."
