Civil servants 'failed on nursing home charges'

CIVIL servants failed to present a proper appraisal on illegal charging of public nursing home patients to successive Ministers for Health, a report into the affair concludes.

The delays in the publication of the Travers Report until today caused ructions in the Dáil yesterday as opposition parties accused the Taoiseach of avoiding questions on the contentious issue, which has a potential cost of €2 billion attached.

The former Forfás chief John Travers says that if a proper appraisal had been carried out over 30 years and presented to ministers, it is "difficult to believe" that appropriate action would not have been taken.

Indeed, Mr Travers points out that ministers often took difficult decisions over that period, so any question of political sensitivities preventing the issue being brought forward is overstated.

Yet he says ministers were never given an opportunity to make a decision.

Although the report does not single particular individuals out for criticism, it is understood Mr Travers does refer to "failures of administration" within the system over the years.

The report will clear former Health Minister Micheál Martin, along with Ministers of State Tim O'Malley and Ivor Callely, of any wrongdoing in their handling of the matter.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern won't be questioned in the Dáil for up to five weeks about the contents of the report, due to the breaks for St Patrick's Day, Easter and the EU Summit.

During angry exchanges yesterday, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny queried why the opposition was not being given a copy of the report to examine and asked what action would be taken against Ministers Martin, Callely and O'Malley.

Describing Micheál Martin as Steve Silvermint, Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said there could be no doubt in the minds of ministers about the seriousness of the overcharging issue.

Defending the delay in the publication of the report, Mr Ahern said the Attorney General advised the Government to publish the report through the Oireachtas to avoid litigation.

"The Government has to read it and study and then we will have a debate in due course," he said.

This morning, Health Minister Mary Harney will meet with the Oireachtas Health Committee in private to discuss Mr Travers's findings and the report will be published thereafter.

The report was commissioned by the Tánaiste in December to examine the illegal charging of people in long-stay care in health board institutions through the deduction of pensions.

In effect, the Government faces a double whammy today of two reports into the handling by ministers and civil servants of issues with enormous consequences for the taxpayer.

Also today, the high-powered Dáil Public Accounts Committee will publish its report into Residential Institutions Redress Scheme. The report will examine the deal struck by the Government providing for the religious orders contribution to the abuse compensation fund.

The committee is expected to recommend that departments always have adequate legal representation when entering into negotiations.

During its investigation, the committee met with representatives of the religious congregations involved and with officials from the departments of Education and Finance and the Office of the Attorney General.