The delay to the Fair Deal scheme is causing "undue mental stress to farm families", IFA farm family chair Caroline Farrell has told the Irish Farmers Journal.

The individual stories of distress and waiting helplessly as the viability of family farms is threatened by the delays cannot be under estimated, Farrell said.

The delay is causing undue mental stress to farm families

“It is already a very difficult time for families when a loved one has to go into a nursing home without the added worries of the farm being lost to pay for the cost of care.

“Farmers have been requesting these recommendations be put in place for years now. The delay is causing undue mental stress to farm families with fees amounting to 7.5% of the property per annum.”

Farrell warned that the uncertainty of the delay is keeping the elderly from the care they need with families reluctant to avail of nursing home services while the deal remains unconfirmed.

“The current Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People Mary Butler has responsibility for the Fair Deal legislation. We have requested a meeting and are hopeful to sit down early in the autumn session.”

Greater transparency

There has to be greater transparency in the cost of nursing home fees, which does not impact the Government’s commitment to introducing a three-year cap on productive farm assets, IFA president Tim Cullinan has said.

“The review recommended greater transparency of the pricing mechanism and that the scheme must ensure value for money.”

The IFA believes delays in introducing the recommendations from the 2015 review of the nursing homes support scheme are at the heart of the issue.

Farm assets

The IFA has said the report recognised the position that farm assets should be treated differently as they were income generating assets that typically passed to the next generation as a primary income source.

The Programme for Government commits to enacting legislation implementing the revised nursing homes support scheme arrangements for farmers and business owners.