The rate of population growth among people aged over 65 is nearly double that of the European Union as a whole. It is projected to increase by approximately 20,000 per year between now and 2021. There is a projected increase of 46% in the number aged over 85 between now and 2021. This is a dramatic trend for our health services to meet, particularly if they are to meet the demand for nursing home places. It will mean a significant increase in the number of nursing home beds required.

What is astounding is that the Taoiseach, when preparing the service plan for 2014 last year, in respect of which plan he took a hands-on part because he could not trust his then Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, to do it, actually budgeted for 700 fewer beds although demand was growing. The results have been dramatic. Every month in 2014, the circumstances worsen dramatically in terms of the number of people waiting for a nursing home bed and to become eligible to participate in the fair deal scheme. The cuts have been dramatic. In January of this year, 512 were awaiting funding, and there was a four-week waiting period for approval. In April, there were 913 waiting, with a six-week waiting period for approval. In June, 1,465 were waiting and it took 12 weeks to obtain approval. In October, a whopping 2,114 were awaiting funding and approval took 15 weeks. Therefore, the sickest in society were waiting 15 weeks to become eligible for the fair deal scheme, or for appropriate nursing home care.

In some instances, where the acute hospitals have transferred people in advance of their becoming eligible, the bills are now mounting to €3,000, €4,000 and €5,000. Where people are in such circumstances for the full 15 weeks, some families face a bill of €15,000, which is extraordinary. I cannot understand how the Government is standing over this and why the Taoiseach decided to allow for this over the past 12 months. Does the Taoiseach accept this is a scandal in itself and that it is getting worse? Will he reverse the decisions he has taken and provide the funding necessary to enable the waiting times to reduce dramatically and those who are waiting to become eligible for the fair deal scheme to become eligible immediately?

I accept that this is a challenge. Clearly, the demographic trends are as the Deputy has pointed out. Everybody understands that not only is the number of older people in the country increasing but that people are living longer because of advances in general health and medicine. At the other end of the scale, it is true to state children being born today will in many cases live well beyond 100. However, the challenge for now is to provide a health service that gives the very best of attention to all patients. There can be no doubt that it is a challenge.

As of 28 October 2014, there were 2,135 on the placement list. The Government allocated a further €25 million in the budget for 2015 in response to the delayed discharges in acute hospitals. Deputy Martin is well aware that those affected are people that the medical profession would have cleared to leave the hospital setting but who cannot because of the lack of step-down beds or opportunities to go into appropriate homes.

There is a review of the fair deal scheme under way, as announced by the Minister. It will include consideration of the balance between community and residential services, in addition to future financing for the sustainability of the scheme. The review will be published in the coming period and work is well advanced on it. The Deputy is aware of the conditions that apply for participation in the nursing home support scheme. The review of the scheme is considering its long-term sustainability in addition to how the current model of provision balances residential care with care in the community. The question of whether this is to be changed because of what older people wish is being considered. The review will be published in the not-too-distant future.

The budget for the scheme this year is €939 million. Admittedly, this represents a reduction on the figure for the 2013 scheme. It includes €23 million that was transferred from the health service's budget to community services to deliver a greater range of care options that people require, prevent unnecessary hospital admissions, avoid undue delays in discharges from acute hospitals, and provide rehabilitation to support older people in returning home. As the Deputies are all aware, the vast majority of older people want to be in their home and community until such time as medical or other circumstances require their going into an institution.

Some €10 million of the allocation is to provide intensive home care packages, covering 250 people annually. That phase began in April of this year across eight different locations. Some €3 million was allocated for the commission of 25 intermediate or transitional care beds, to benefit 650 people. Twenty of those beds were for complex cases, to benefit 130 people with specific difficulties. Some €10 million was allocated to address funding shortfalls in the provision of public short-stay beds and to maintain the current provision of 1,860 beds.

This is a challenge and the Minister is carrying out a review of the fair deal scheme to get the balance right. The question of the number of discharged patients who can be released consequent to the allocation of €25 million this year and the longer waiting periods for approval of eligibility for the fair deal scheme that have been evident need to be addressed. One cannot expect families to fork out huge amounts of money waiting for fair deal scheme approval to come through.

Some 700 of them are doing so at present.

Admittedly, it has been a challenge of finances. It is one we are addressing and of which the Minister is very aware.

I do not know what world the Taoiseach lives in.

The same world as Deputy Martin.

It is because of the Taoiseach's decision last year with the Minister, Deputy Reilly, that we have people waiting. He has stated that admittedly, this represents a reduction in the funding. Demand is increasing and the Taoiseach knows the population trends. It is extraordinary that he would provide for less funding in an area that demands more funding. The Taoiseach will provide hundreds of millions of euro in tax relief and present that for political reasons, but is there any social conscience at the heart of Government at all given that the sickest and most vulnerable older persons in society are left waiting for 15 weeks before they will get approval?

Outrageous.

Their families are anxious about it. Thousands of euro are being paid by families in some instances.

Bed blockers.

It is nothing short of a disgrace. The number of delayed discharges has gone up to 700 now. The number of cute admissions is soaring. It is causing significant dysfunction throughout the health service. It is extraordinary that the Taoiseach would come in here and state that admittedly, this represents a reduction in the funding. The Government must address it. We cannot have people waiting.

A question, please.

All of this is happening-----

It is the same with the bed blockers.

-----because the Government took a decision 12 months ago to reduce the funding and we see nothing at present that suggests that any meaningful intervention will take place. It is about priorities.

A question, please. Deputy Martin is over time.

The Taoiseach has established his priorities and has made his decisions. What I want from the Taoiseach is an immediate commitment that this waiting list will be eliminated promptly and that no one will have to wait 15 weeks for fair deal scheme approval. I want that now because the numbers affected have increased from 500 at the beginning of the year to 2,000 now, and there will be 3,000 if the Taoiseach does not get it sorted and does right by these people.

Everything with Deputy Martin has become extraordinary these days. It is remarkable. When he was throwing money at it, left, right and centre, the situation was worse.

Stay quiet.

The Taoiseach opposed it. He went around the country stating our homes would be taken off us.

At the end of September this year-----

Deputy Mattie McGrath ran away from them.

Would Members settle down?

At the end of September this year-----

Where will Deputy Mattie McGrath run now?

Where will Deputy Coonan run?

Would Members stay quiet?

At the end of September this year-----

The Taoiseach is well able to answer for himself.

-----there were 22,380 persons in receipt of financial support from the State, including subvention and contract beds. A further 426 persons had been allocated funding but had not yet taken up a bed. Some 2,135 persons were on the national placement list awaiting funding.

There is no problem.

Some 1,450 of those were in progress. Some of those applications come in---------

The Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, knows the facts.

Run Mattie, run.

-----without the necessary supporting documentation. To date this year, 4,324 new clients were funded under the scheme in public and private nursing home. The average approval rate for 2014-----

What about the waiting times?

-----is 515 persons per month and for the ten months to October 2014, the average approval rate was 463 per month.

The waiting time is 15 weeks.

They must be all in Mayo.

On the profile for November and December this year, an average of 783 per month will be released in November and December.

The Taoiseach is merely reading notes. Would he answer the question?

It is a challenge, but it is a challenge that the Minister accepts and that the Government will deal with.

It is a bigger challenge for the families.

It is about decisions. It is about prioritising the spending.

We all understand the importance of persons-----

It is about the proper allocation of resources.

Would Deputy Martin stay quiet?

-----particularly elderly persons-----

Someone on over €100,000 gets €1,700.

-----being able to be comfortable in their own home-----

Deputy Martin had his say.

-----in the community and under this scheme.

The older people get nothing.

We are very conscious of it. The figures I have given Deputy Martin are accurate figures for up to the end of November and December.

It is prioritisation.

Will the Taoiseach ask some of his backbenchers and they will let him in on what is going on?

Of course, the demographics are changing and we are making arrangements to deal with those changes.

The Taoiseach took his choices. He is looking after the wealthy.

The figures I have given the Deputy of a 783 average per month for November and December speak for themselves. It is very much a different situation than that when Deputy Martin had charge of it.

Fourteen weeks.