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

Will the Minister of State indicate when she expects these additional packages and additional bed opportunities to be in place? It comes back to the point that acute hospital beds are being occupied by people whose real need is long-term residential care. I fully support care in the community. Make no mistake, if those people could return home, many of them would make that choice. I know some of the people of whom we speak. There is no doubt in my mind that a significant number of the 460 - the Minister of State said it is not 600 but the number clearly fluctuates - want to be in a different setting but they know a residential care place is the only future they have left. What the Minister of State announced is only tipping at it. The figure clearly demonstrates that much more needs to be done. The benefits would be considerable and it would be an investment.

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