Fair Deal scheme treats all people the same and it doesn’t matter if they are in public or private care

WHATEVER about Seán McCárthaigh’s view of the Ombudsman’s report (‘State has again become our enemy,’ November 10), it is important that opinion is informed by facts.

Mr McCárthaigh points to what he sees as a concern in the report that the state is withdrawing from direct provision of nursing home care. This view fundamentally misunderstands the purpose and workings of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Fair Deal).

The purpose of Fair Deal is to equalise state support for people in public and private nursing homecare and to ensure that such care is affordable for all who need it.