Cabinet discusses nursing home charges

The Cabinet is expected to discuss plans to rush through controversial new laws on nursing home charges when it meets today.

The new legislation will see all nursing home patients being charged through a means-tested system, something which support groups for the elderly say will leave a large number of people unable to pay.

They say thousands of elderly people are worried about the legislation as it has not yet been fully published, despite the fact that Harney intends it to come into force from January 1.

However, speaking in Dublin today, Harney insisted the law would lead to a fairer system for both private and public patients.