Elderly people worse off due to underspend in cost of subvention

IN your report on the annual report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (September 28), the issues raised do indeed require taxpayers’ attention.

The Irish Nursing Homes Organisation requires answers as to why the Department of Health and Children last year underspent by €31 million on the cost of subvention for nursing home residents.

The Comptroller and Auditor General’s report for 2005 confirms that subvention payments for that year totalled €109.8m, when the Department of Health budgeted for a spend of €140m.