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(File photo) RollingNews.ie

Calls for Government to publish records on 'secret strategy' for illegal nursing home charges

It follows a report in today’s Irish Mail on Sunday.

OPPOSITION PARTIES HAVE called on the Government to release documents relating to an alleged failure to provide payouts to families of people who were illegally charged for nursing home stays from the 1970s until late 2000s.

It follows a report in today’s Irish Mail on Sunday that successive governments have allegedly pursued a secret strategy aimed at limiting refunds from the State to individuals who were incorrectly charged for public nursing home care.

The report, based on a protected disclosure by Department of Health whistleblower Shane Corr, alleged that multiple governments have since 2011 sought to hide the State’s liability for the charges to prevent a possible €12 billion in payouts to those affected.

Sinn Féin’s health spokesperson David Cullinane today called on the government to release all relevant documents and memos about the alleged plan in order to provide full transparency around it.

“The reporting in the Mail on Sunday today of very serious allegations that the State and successive governments had, and continue to pursue, a secret plan to block refunds of illegal nursing home charges is truly shocking,” he said in a statement.

“We need full transparency from government and the full facts must be put into the public domain immediately.”

Cullinane also said that he has written to the Oireachtas Health Committee asking for copies of memos and documents about strategy.

“All related documents should be shared with the committee and published, including relevant memos and correspondence within government and its departments,” he added.

The Irish Times is also reporting this evening that Labour health spokesperson Duncan Smith has called for the documents to be made available to the Public Accounts Committee.

“We need complete and total transparency here,” he is quoted as saying.

The practice of charging those entitled to free nursing home care has been the subject of hundreds of complaints to the Office of the Ombudsman in recent years.

Until the mid-2000s, medical card holders were entitled to free nursing home care from the State.

Then-Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly published a report on the issue called ‘Who Cares?’ in 2010, which says the Department of Health “persisted with an illegal charging regime because of, amongst other things, the need to maintain an important source of funding”.

It also accused State agencies of showing a lack of transparency and accountability about the matter.

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    Mute conor
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    Oct 24th 2014, 5:54 PM

    This man should have more than 900,000 followers on facebook. His journey should be a lesson to all of us. A true human being, expanding our species knowledge.

    792
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    Mute Mike O Neill
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    Oct 24th 2014, 6:06 PM

    I think you mean engrossed! Or at least I hope you did..

    719
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    Mute Catherine Sims
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    Oct 24th 2014, 6:15 PM

    Actually couldn’t breath I was laughing so much. Sorry Pontius lol I’m feeling a bit overly giddy as I have a very rare night off .

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    Mute Catherine Sims
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    Oct 24th 2014, 6:17 PM

    It’s also official now. Journal commenters can bring ANY topic back to sex lol

    193
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    Mute Sam
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    Oct 24th 2014, 6:51 PM

    Made me laugh out on a packed bus! I look like a right weirdo now

    149
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    Mute Mike O Neill
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    Oct 24th 2014, 7:30 PM

    Engorged, Cox, Spotted (Dick). Enjoy your night Catherine:)

    86
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    Mute Patrick O'Rourke
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    Oct 24th 2014, 11:30 PM

    A chair ?

    9
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    Mute Dr. Gonzo
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    Oct 25th 2014, 5:12 PM

    Batteries

    1
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    Mute Joe Lyster
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    Oct 24th 2014, 7:57 PM

    Did anyone else read his post with a computer voice in your head???

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    Mute Debbie Duggan
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    Oct 25th 2014, 12:22 AM

    Yes I did..Lol..

    61
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    Mute BlueSkyThinking
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    Oct 25th 2014, 7:36 AM

    Everytime I hear the Benny Benassi song “satisfaction”, I thinks it’s Stephen Hawkings singing:
    http://youtu.be/V5bYDhZBFLA

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    Mute Eddie Gammell
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    Oct 25th 2014, 12:40 PM

    Absolutely

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    Mute Eddie Gammell
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    Oct 25th 2014, 12:41 PM

    Absolutely I did akso

    1
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    Mute John Dunne
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    Oct 24th 2014, 6:28 PM

    I bet anyone that seen his post and was reading it in there mind with Stephen voice… Be honest lol

    130
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    Mute Sarah Cullington
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    Oct 24th 2014, 6:08 PM

    I am totally imagining him saying this in my head :)

    122
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    Mute Jackie Caruana
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    Oct 25th 2014, 7:09 AM

    Me too, I heard his voice

    8
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    Mute Cian O Donoghue
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    Oct 25th 2014, 8:15 AM

    His voice?

    8
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    Mute L-Plate
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    Oct 24th 2014, 6:17 PM

    He struck me as more of a candy crush person

    106
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    Mute doc samoflange
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    Oct 24th 2014, 5:58 PM

    can the author of this article please go back and edit in the bit that made his post brilliant, because I think it was left out

    76
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    Mute Ron North
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    Oct 24th 2014, 8:45 PM

    It’s a rubbish post. It’s not much better than a picture of a kitten.

    49
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    Mute Susan Adair Farrelly
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    Oct 24th 2014, 9:27 PM

    I see the twits are out in force tonight..

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    Mute Una Doran
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    Oct 24th 2014, 11:39 PM

    Yea would not call it brilliant

    43
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    Mute Mick Bermingham
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    Oct 24th 2014, 5:57 PM

    great man

    67
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    Mute mick66
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    Oct 24th 2014, 10:43 PM

    According to Hawkins God was not necessary in the creation of the Universe. Now let’s hear the roar from the two camps!

    32
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    Mute Fraj Llecrup
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    Oct 25th 2014, 1:23 AM

    “According to Hawkins God was not necessary in the creation of the Universe”

    ……without a shred of evidence to back up that assumption!!

    25
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    Mute Bill
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    Oct 25th 2014, 6:32 AM

    I rather think the God squad need to prove that she/it/he exists rather than us non believers

    27
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    Mute Martin Posters Moore Street
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    Oct 24th 2014, 5:58 PM

    And now i can see forever

    31
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    Mute Byyys
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    Oct 24th 2014, 6:35 PM

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J815z_zN4LY – David Blaine did a trick with Stephen. think he was impressed.

    20
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    Mute Collins Dermot
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    Oct 25th 2014, 12:27 AM

    I think his theory’s are absurd

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    Mute Raymond Connolly
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    Oct 24th 2014, 10:13 PM

    It’s brilliant ?

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    Mute molly coddled
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    Oct 25th 2014, 1:06 AM

    Stephen hawking.
    Legend.
    Says it in a nutshell.

    12
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    Mute Chewey Bacca
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    Oct 25th 2014, 12:05 AM

    Even the Lego Hawking is class

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    Mute Jenny Brandon
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    Oct 24th 2014, 11:04 PM

    We are like ants on wheels to whoever the greater power is looking down or even up at us!

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    Mute Chewey Bacca
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    Oct 25th 2014, 12:04 AM

    That’s it. The ANTS !!! Their controlling us from underground

    18
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    Mute Mick Bermingham
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    Oct 24th 2014, 6:56 PM

    ok

    8
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    Mute Mick Bermingham
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    Oct 24th 2014, 6:55 PM

    ni

    7
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    Mute Collins Dermot
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    Oct 25th 2014, 3:55 AM

    His first and his last what if he was just talking D piss

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    Mute RFZmK5Va
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    Oct 25th 2014, 3:32 AM

    The mans a fraud, he’s paying the water charges

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    Mute Dr'Wesley O'hÁlpin
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    Oct 25th 2014, 9:01 AM

    Was it just me or did anyone else read it hearing his voice?

    2
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