Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise the issue of hospices throughout the country, including our own area on the north side of Dublin and in Cork and Donegal, which are section 39 organisations. Their nursing staff, who are highly prized and highly efficient, have to be paid the restoration increases in recognition of the pay cuts they voluntarily took at the time of the financial crisis. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Taoiseach have been pulling their punches on whether the hospices' budgets will be recompensed in respect of the increases they have to give to these fabulous staff who are caring for our families. The home care services of the hospice movement has expanded in recent times to provide end-of-life care and home care visits to people in long-stay institutions. It has been incredibly successful and is reducing some of the accident and emergency pressure on hospitals. I know the Taoiseach has personal experience of this issue and is sympathetic. We have a mutual interest in our local hospices. Can he address the issue for hospices in general? I know he has been made aware of it.

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