34.— (1) Section 52 of the Health Act 1970 is amended by inserting the following after subsection (1):

“(1A) The Health Service Executive may make available long-term residential care services within the meaning of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009.”.

(2) Section 53 (as amended by section 4 of the Health (Amendment) Act 2005) of the Health Act 1970 is amended—

(a) by substituting the following for subsection (1):

“(1) Subject to subsection (1A), charges shall not be made for in-patient services made available under section 52 except as provided for in subsection (2).”,

(b) by inserting the following after subsection (1):

“(1A) Charges shall be made for long-term residential care services in accordance with the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009.

(1B) A reference in subsection (1A) to long-term residential care services shall be construed as a reference to long-term residential care services within the meaning of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009 as respects such services provided to a person who first begins to receive those services after the coming into operation of section 6 (2) (c) of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009.

(1C) A person in respect of whom charges are being made under subsection (2) shall not be required to pay charges under subsection (1A).”.

(3) The Health Act 1970 is amended by inserting the following section after section 53:

“Charges for in-patient services in certain cases.

53A.— (1) This section applies where in-patient services (not being long-term residential care services within the meaning of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009) are provided to a person in a hospital for the care and treatment of patients with acute ailments (including any psychiatric ailment) and a medical practitioner designated by the Health Service Executive has certified in writing that the person in receipt of such services does not require medically acute care and treatment in respect of any such ailment.

(2) Where this section applies, notwithstanding section 53, charges may be made in respect of in-patient services on the basis specified in subsection (3) as if those services were long-term residential care services within the meaning of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009 provided by the Health Service Executive, and whether or not the person concerned has made an application for State support under section 9 of that Act.

(3) The charges referred to in subsection (2) shall be determined by the average cost of long-term residential care services as determined by the Health Service Executive in facilities operated by the Health Service Executive and publicly designated in writing as facilities predominantly for the care of older people.

(4) Subject to subsection (5), this section shall not apply where a person has applied for a care needs assessment under section 7 of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009 and is awaiting a determination by the Executive under section 7 of that Act.

(5) Subsection (4) shall not apply where a person withdraws an application under section 7 of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009 and makes a subsequent application.”.