Martin says he did not attend nursing home charges meeting

Former minister for health Micheál Martin has said he did not attend a meeting this time last year at which the problem of charging people over the age of 70 in nursing homes was raised.

The opposition claims that Martin was aware of the problem of illegally charging nursing home patients but did nothing about it.

Martin has said he did not attend the full meeting and that he has done more on this issue than anyone else.

“Well, first of all, it was also placed in the Dáil record and is accepted by all that I didn’t attend the meeting for that particular time when the issue was being discussed,” he said.

“I got to the meeting at the very end is my recollection, and the major issue there was to discuss the Health Reform Programme and the Hanly Report at that time with the CEOs.”