Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney.

I thank Deputy Crawford for raising this issue, as it provides me with an opportunity to reaffirm the Government's continued commitment to providing services for older people generally and, in particular, the important area of the home help service. Government policy is to support older people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. Where this is not feasible, the health service supports access to quality long-term residential care, where appropriate. This policy approach is renewed and developed in the partnership agreement Towards 2016.

The Government's objective of continuing to develop community based services for older persons is reflected in the funding given to the system in recent times. The total additional funding allocated for such services was in excess of €210 million in the three year period 2006-08, inclusive, of which €55 million was specifically earmarked for the expansion of the home help service. The new funding was both to enhance existing services such as home help and meals-on-wheels and to widen the range of services available to older people through, for example, the introduction of home care packages. Home help is the backbone of community based services and includes a range of essential supports that make all the difference to the quality of life of each recipient. In 2006 almost 11 million home help hours were provided by the HSE. The executive estimates that it will make available nearly 12 million hours this year, benefiting over 54,000 people nationally.

It is important in the context of the issue raised to point out that the home help service has also seen increased professionalisation in recent years with the implementation of the national home help agreement. This has resulted in greater flexibility in service delivery and improved consistency and service quality through measures such as training to the benefit of service users.

The home help service is reviewed regularly at local level by the HSE which has operational responsibility for individual cases. Professional staff on the front line who are aware of local circumstances undertake individual client assessments. Services are targeted at clients with a high level of dependency and in accordance with their assessed need. In such instances the level of service in individual cases may increase, decrease or remain the same, based on the assessed need of the individual.

In the context of the issues raised by the Deputy, I understand the person in question recently had a review of her circumstances which resulted in a reduction of her service provision after taking account of various factors such as the recent review and the need to assist others locally waiting for a home help service. It is open to any individual or person working on his or her behalf such as a GP to request that the situation be reviewed by the HSE should circumstances change. The Deputy will appreciate that the HSE collates statistics as a matter of routine in respect of the Cavan-Monaghan local health office. The executive has indicated that in this local health office area some 2,800 clients benefited from the home help service in 2007 and that approximately 3,100 clients received a service in 2008.

It is clear that the Government has made considerable improvements in recent years to enhance home help provision generally across the country, including the Cavan-Monaghan area. There is no doubt that at times demand can exceed service resources. However, it is a matter for the HSE to deliver services, both nationally and locally, in the context of Government priorities and its overall resources and taking account of the individual circumstances of each case.

See this speech in context