Nursing home charges - State right to resist claims for damages

THE Government deserves to be roundly criticised for the eight-month delay in introducing legislation relating to repayment of illegally deducted nursing home charges to 70,000 patients and relatives.

Overall, the compensation, including interest payments, will run to €1 billion.

Since this money comes from the pockets of hard-pressed taxpayers, the State is right to challenge claims for damages which, according to Tánaiste and Health Minister Mary Harney, would bring the overall bill to a whopping €6bn.