Last week older people and their families were alarmed when it was announced that funding for the fair deal nursing home care scheme was running out. It was reported that the allocation for 2011 was exhausted and that the HSE had suspended the approval of——

Deputy Micheál Martin's party spent it before the last election.

We did not.

It did.

Another deal with the Minister, Deputy Pat Rabbitte's friends in the union.

Can we have silence, please, for Deputy Gerry Adams?

Tá a lán daoine iontach buartha faoin ábhar seo.

This is Fianna Fáil's funny money.

The Minister for Health and Children has stated new applications will be dealt with, which is to be welcomed, and that the problem was that the HSE had used the €100 million for other purposes. For its part, the HSE has stated the total budget available to it for providing long-term residential care has always been and will continue to be used exclusively for the care of older people resident in nursing homes. It is seeking clarity on the Minister's statement and there is a report that it has not begun to process new applications. There is, therefore, a contradictory and confused picture. Mar a dúirt mé lenár gcara, tá seo ag cur a lán brú ar dhaoine agus tá a lán acu iontach buartha faoi seo. Tá gá le freagraí soiléire ag na daoine sin. Does the Taoiseach agree that it is extremely worrying that €100 million could be used for purposes for which it had not been allocated? Just as important, if the money is spent, how will it be replaced and does this mean there will be cutbacks in other areas of the health care system?

The Minister for Health and Children is obviously concerned about this matter and how it could have arisen so early in the year. My understanding is that €100 million of the €1 billion allocated for the fair deal scheme was spent on other items. The Minister has commissioned an inquiry in order to determine within two weeks what exactly happened. All the money is for the care of elderly people but it must come from different subheads. The Minister is entitled to find out what happened in the first instance, report to the House and indicate how he intends to continue funding for this essential deal.

That is fair enough and the Minister should be given time to do that. However, Age Action Ireland stated it was inundated with distraught people. Only last week we extolled the virtue of a society that looks after elderly people and allows them to make a contribution.

The Minister also stated, and I agree with him, that many people would go home from hospital rather than go into care if appropriate home care packages were available. Are they available? My understanding is they are not and, therefore, this most vulnerable section of our society, when ill and infirm, is being put through greater difficulties than are necessary.

By the end of March this year 22,600 people were in receipt of long-term residential care support, in public, private and voluntary institutions. More than 11,000 were in the nursing home support scheme, the fair deal, which is the subject of the question. As the Minister pointed out, applications for approval under the fair deal scheme will continue to be processed and accepted but this is a budget cap scheme and the Minister has a responsibility to find out where the money has gone and for what reasons decisions were taken to divert it from the particular focus of attention and care for elderly people. The Minister also seeks to ensure that only agreed costs are met from the long-term residential facility. I expect this will be the subject of further questioning in the House.

In answer to the Deputy, the commitment in the programme for Government to review the fair deal will be carried out. The Cabinet is anxious to have the Minister conclude his two-week analysis of the situation. I understand the concerns elderly people may have but this money is all for the care of the elderly and comes from different subheads. The Minister has a duty to find out what happened and deal with the situation by allocating moneys from different subheads. He will report to the House accordingly.