Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)

The HSE service plan flies in the face of the Minister's reply and the Government's stated policy. It shows in fact there is no policy in place. According to the 2012 service plan, there will be a reduction of 113,000 home-help hours in HSE west services for the elderly. Maintaining home care packages at the same level as last year will in fact result in a reduction because of the rising aging population. As fewer people will receive home help hours and with a reduction of up to 900 beds in community nursing homes, more pressure will be put on the community nursing system. These, along with cuts of 700 people in receipt of subvention and enhanced subvention, fly in the face of the Minister's reply.

With these serious cuts, how can the Minister expect to support elderly people to stay in their homes which is agreed to be the cheapest and most desirable form of treatment and care? How can such a policy be implemented when the Government has savaged the home help hours, made no increase in home care packages, closed nursing home beds and reduced subventions?

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