State nursing home fees to be reintroduced from today
14/07/2005 - 08:40:14The controversial nursing home charges levied on elderly medical card holders are due to be reintroduced by the Government from today.
The charges, which had been imposed since 1976, were halted late last year after the Attorney General warned they were legally unsound.
The Government subsequently introduced new legislation to make the fees legal and this is due to take force from today.
However, the State is facing a massive compensation bill due to the past charges as the Supreme Court ruled that the Government's attempt to legalise them retrospectively was unconstitutional.
