TEMPORARY GOVERNMENT PAYMENTS for extra Covid-19 nursing home costs have been extended, health minister Stephen Donnelly said.
The scheme was due to close Tuesday, but will now include July, August and September.
More than 30,000 people live in care homes in Ireland.
Donnelly said: “While great strides have been made in the response to Covid-19, including further suppression of the virus in the community, I believe we must continue to provide support to nursing homes and contribute towards their continued planning, preparedness and response to Covid-19.
“Therefore, I am pleased to announce that I am extending the Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme (Taps) for three months, until the end of September.
“This support, along with the broader package of supports provided by the State and its agencies to private and voluntary nursing homes aim to further contribute towards the range of public health measures required to protect some of our most vulnerable citizens.”
Significant systems and structures to facilitate the support of private and voluntary nursing homes have developed considerably over the past number of months.
These non-financial supports come in the form of the supply of personal protective equipment, temporary accommodation for nursing home staff and through the HSE’s Crisis Response Teams including the deployment of HSE staff.
Nursing homes were at the centre of the pandemic in Ireland, with 63% of the country’s cases in long-term residential settings. It also saw a high proportion of all deaths in Ireland from the virus, prompting scrutiny and criticism of the speed of the government’s response.
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