Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, for attending. The lack of respite care is an important issue. I am raising the matter on behalf of carers throughout Dublin and in other parts of the country who are currently having difficulty gaining access to respite care beds for their loved ones.

The HSE has advised that the north Dublin city area has not had a respite bed available for persons under the age of 65 since the start of January 2015. As a result of this bed shortage, carers are not getting the one or two week break they need. As the Minister knows, they provide an invaluable service not only for their loved ones, but also for the State, as they are doing work that saves the State billions of euro each year. Many family carers provide full-time care, 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Their loved one is dependent on them but, unfortunately, the carers have no legal entitlement to days off or any type of break from this very demanding job. Respite care is essential for these carers and for the thousands of people throughout the country who provide temporary care and relief for those who provide caring duties.

Respite care also helps to reduce pressure on other areas of the health service such as acute hospitals, and this problem is having an effect on Beaumont Hospital in my constituency, as the Minister is aware. In addition, primary care centres must be rolled out to deal with the overcrowding in hospitals. What is the Minister doing about the unacceptable waiting lists that currently exist for carers waiting to have a loved one get respite care? Can he comment on the shortage of respite care beds? What action is he taking to increase the supply? Will he also comment on the average waiting time for those waiting for care?

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