Opposition attacks Govt over nursing home fees legislation

Opposition politicians have attacked the Government over its attempt to retrospectively legalise the practice of deducting nursing home fees from old-age pensions.

Earlier today, the Supreme Court ruled that a Bill designed to prohibit compensation claims from pensioners subjected to the illegal practice was unconstitutional.

The ruling is expected to lead to compensation claims from tens of thousands of nursing home residents who have effectively had their money stolen by the State since 1976.

Responding in the Dáil, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny accused the Government of exposing Irish taxpayers to massive compensation claims by allowing the practice to continue for so long.

"It does appear as if the information that was available to the Department [of Health] for quite some time amounts to a massive cover up, exposing the State now to tens of thousands of claims," he said.

Labour Party TD Liz McManus, meanwhile, said the ruling raised questions about the competence of Tánaiste and Health Minister Mary Harney.

"This whole situation raises major questions about the ability of the Tánaiste to manage her brief, to deal with people fairly, to tackle the many problems in our health service," she said.

"This is a rebuke that the Tánaiste has been given today and I think it raises many questions about her political judgement."