Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

How can this Government stand over the cutting of the solitary hour per week which some older people receive?

Will the Minister of State clarify the figures she indicated in her reply? As I understand it, according to the figures I have been given, 50,139 people are in receipt of home help hours, which represents a reduction of 3,701 in the past 18 months. The Minister of State also gave a figure in regard to home care packages. In a reply I received to another parliamentary question yesterday, it was stated that there are 11,119 people in receipt of home care packages. I acknowledge the increase of 1,159 on the figure 18 months ago, but the net reduction in service beneficiaries across the board is 2,500. The figure of 11,119 tells only part of the story.

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