Compensation payments to elderly patients illegally charged in public nursing homes since the 1970s will begin next month, it emerged today.
Up to €1 billion will be distributed between 20,000 people who are still alive and 50,000 estates of deceased former residents of long-stay accommodation.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) is expected to announce in coming days the contractor who won the tender to administer the massive repayment fund.
The HSE had to start a second tendering process for the management of repayments after it deemed initial quotes from applicants were too excessive.
Department of Health officials today updated the Oireachtas Health Committee on the latest developments on the issue.
"Payments will begin before the end of July and we will expect substantial payments to be made before the end of September," said Assistant Secretary Dermot Smith.
"The bulk of the payments will be in September/October. We would be very disappointed if that isn't the case."
PA