Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)

I agree with the Deputy as people are very concerned. It should be made crystal clear that those people in receipt of long-term care face no threat to the service. That is not what we are talking about. I cannot tell the Deputy how many people are at home who may have aspirations involving long-term care or how many people are in beds in hospitals with aspirations of long-term care. I can only deal with the facts as presented.

As of end of March 2011, the level of applications processed is at 78%. The figure sought by the Deputy of figures in process is 4,604. The number of people in receipt of long-term care is approximately 22,000. We are not talking about small numbers or in a vacuum as we have facts. We know that of the 22,000 in receipt of long-term care, there is absolutely no threat to the service. When we get the money in order to grant approval to those who deserve it, we will issue grants of approval.

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