Mr. Liam Woods:

In terms of the waiting list data, the difficulty may relate to the reassignment of staff in the community to more a front-line purpose but I can check that. We should be able to get the waiting list data and make it available to the Deputy.

We have no intention to make lists invisible. In fact, the reverse is the case because we need to look clearly at the challenge we are facing.

Ms McArdle addressed the point about legislation, and Mr. Dempsey may have something to say about the statutory basis of home care packages from the point of view of the Department.

At a wider level, in terms of the resources required to respond to Covid-19 - and I understand the Deputy may also be referring to an earlier period - the HSE has spent significant resources to provide care at home, in acute environments and community care settings as best it can over the past number of months. The resources deployed have been well beyond what would have been experienced previously. We are anxious that the committee has the waiting list data and we commit to providing them. Mr. Dempsey may wish to comment on the statutory arrangements that might come into place.