Sir, – I refer to the article "Up to 2,000 homes could be freed up for rental under Fair Deal changes" (News, April 13th), on the Government approval to halve the income requirement under Fair Deal to allow the homes of older people to be rented or released to assist the Government in its efforts to house Ukrainian refugees.
This proposal is fraught with issues. About 70 per cent of older people in nursing homes have high-dependency needs and about the same would have some level of cognitive impairment.
The Government proposes that these vulnerable persons consent to their homes being leased and suggests they also have the ability to enter and consent to complex property agreements to assist solving a problem created by the State. I would argue that very few in nursing homes do have this ability and that they and their constitutional property rights need to be protected.
There are also utilities, insurance, tenancy rights, Residential Tenancies Board registration and health and safety issues for these properties that older people in nursing homes may have a liability or responsibility for.
In addition, there would also need to be protections against the possibility of financial abuse and misappropriation of rent by relatives.
This Fair Deal change by Government is a knee-jerk response that will cause more problems for older people than it will cure. – Yours, etc,
Dr JONATHAN ROTH,
Castlecourt,
Limerick.
