Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Not to circumvent Dr. Quinn, but Mr. Hughes might want to answer this question. Given our conversation in regard to work permits, while I am not long elected, I have been voicing concerns about work permits since being elected. In Wexford, we are currently experiencing a huge deficit in regard to CAMHS staff recruitment. It took three years to find an applicant to accept the senior child psychologist position. Now, we are in a position where, for 12 months, the HSE has been advertising for a dietician and there is no applicant to take the position. There are 549 families who have been granted a home care support package but we do not have the employees in the private sector, who could make the provision of services available to the HSE, or within the HSE itself to deliver those home care support hours. This year’s budget was lauded because home care support hours were increased by 1.5 billion hours and funded, which hugely increased the hours. However, the hours cannot be delivered so, essentially, the funding will never be used. I hope Mr. Hughes understands me. I am just asking where all of that comes back to his Department with regard to finding somebody to deliver those job specs. We need to bear in mind a home care support package is generally for applicants over the age of 66 who probably have long-term illness or are in serious need of short-term care.