Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputy Ring for raising this issue as it provides me with an opportunity to update the House on Government policy on the home help service specifically, and community services generally, for older people.

The guiding principle of Government policy in this area is to support older people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. This is realised through a range of community-based supports such as home help, home care packages, meals-on-wheels and day and respite care.

The importance attached to these services is highlighted by the fact that between 2006 and 2010, over €200 million additional funding was provided to the HSE to develop such supports for older people. Without these initiatives, many older people would spend longer than necessary in acute hospitals, or would be admitted to residential care earlier than might be required. Home care services are provided either directly by the HSE or in partnership with the community and voluntary sector, or by arrangement with private providers.

Despite the serious economic constraints experienced in recent times, we have continued to prioritise improving community services for older people. This is reflected in the €10 million additional funding provided in the last budget, to expand home care packages nationally. These packages often contain a significant home help component.

The HSE national service plan 2010, which was approved by the Minister for Health and Children last March, commits the executive to providing almost 12 million home help hours to over 54,000 people. With reference to the Deputy's question, the national target for 2010 for home help hours is unchanged from the 2009 figure. The HSE has, therefore, formally committed to delivering this year effectively the same number of home help hours as were provided in 2009. Any change to this commitment would have to be notified to the Department.

In addition to the mainstream home help provision, the current service plan is designed to deliver home care packages to around 9,600 people at any one time, or to some 13,000 clients over the course of the year. This represents an increase for this particular initiative over last year. The plan also provides for 21,300 day care places, which should facilitate an estimated 80,000 people.

Other important initiatives in relation to home care supports are also being undertaken at a strategic level. Arising from an evaluation of home care packages, commissioned by the Department of Health and Children and published in December last, the HSE established a task group to progress this year various improvements in home care provision, including the delivery of home care packages, the allocation of home help hours, and the procurement of home care services generally. The various guidelines now being prepared are intended to allow the HSE adopt a more standardised approach nationally to the provision of home care services, including home help. The draft guidelines will have to be considered by senior management in the HSE, and will be submitted to the Department of Health and Children for consideration.

The Health Service Executive has operational responsibility for the delivery of health and social services. The Deputy will appreciate that decisions in the area of home care have to be addressed in the light of the current economic and budgetary pressures. The executive has been asked to make a rigorous examination of how existing funding might be re-configured or re-allocated to ensure maximum service provision is achieved. This requires a stringent ongoing review of the application of the resources currently available.

Unfortunately, due to the current industrial action, this is the most up to date information available to me. I regret that I do not have any more information at present but if the Deputy wishes to raise this matter again once the current industrial action has ended, I will endeavour to have the matter re-examined at that stage.

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