Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 25 April 2013

Public Accounts Committee

2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011

1:10 pm

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise a point on which I would like a detailed note to be provided, because the witnesses could not possibly have the information. Somebody contacted me in regard to the security contract for the Limerick group of hospitals, involving the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, the Mid-Western Regional Maternity Hospital and St. John's Hospital. I am sure the contract is for €1 million or more. I was told the company that has the contract got it in 2005 for a three-year period. It got a one-year extension to 2009 and a further one-year extension to 2010. However, the contract has not been put out to tender since. I hope there are not people without tendered contracts. When the HSE is giving us the note on security, it might specifically cover the Limerick group of hospitals.

Could we have a note on what is in that framework contract in regard to general security demand at front doors and special security arrangements? I am sure situations blow up in hospitals. People will know that at busy weekends, extra people are needed in addition to the standard complement. Will the HSE explain the framework and how it works, with particular reference to the issue I raised?

I wish to move on to home care packages. I refer to the accounts for 2011 and supporting older people. A total of 15,270 people benefited from the home care package at some point during the year. In the Revised Estimates for 2013 published last week, that figure has been reduced to 10,870, a reduction of 30%. Why has there been such a reduction in the number of home care packages? They are for elderly and disabled people whom we are trying to keep at home. Is it any wonder there is a waiting list for the fair deal scheme and people in acute hospitals when the HSE has cut the number of home care packages from over 15,000 to just over 10,000 for the current year? It is a massive reduction. Why did the HSE single out that area for a 30% cut? We all know there are reductions everywhere.

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