Madam, - The statement contained in the third bullet point of Mary Harney's article in your edition of December 14th concerning fairness in nursing home care - "Your children or family will not have to find cash from their own incomes to pay for your care" - is not quite true.
On inquiring to the helpline (1850 24 1850) provided by the Minister's office it was explained that a surviving family member - eg a son or daughter who may have been press-ganged by Ms Harney's new legislation into caring for a parent, possibly for years, prior to nursing home care - will then find his or her home levied with a 15 per cent tax whenever an attempt is made to sell it.
As this tax will apply only to the surviving family member living at home, and not to other siblings who may in fact be financially better off, one wonders: where is the fairness in all of this? - Yours, etc,
ANNE CAHILL,
Laurel Park,
Clondalkin,
Dublin 22.