Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

The HSE is coming in next week and we will be looking at some of the issues that are going to cost money by virtue of how things are being done present. The Chairman is probably encountering the same issue that I am in the context of home care packages being available but not being available. I do not know if this is a matter for the Committee on Health or the Committee of Public Accounts but it certainly indicates a poor way of spending money if very expensive hospital beds are being occupied because less expensive home care packages are not available. That has become quite a sizeable issue. It may not be universal throughout the country. I am just basing this on my own experience. The money is gone since February. With the agreement of the committee, I would this to be discussed.