Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy O'Keeffe for raising this issue. My colleague, Deputy Jim Daly, the Minister of State with special responsibility for mental health and older people, cannot be here, unfortunately, and has asked me to take this issue.

The overarching policy of the Government is to support older people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. This is clearly what older people want and only those in genuine need of residential care should go down that route. Short-term beds, including respite and rehabilitation beds, contribute to the provision of an integrated model of care for older people, enabling them to return home following a period of hospital care or to postpone admission to long-stay residential care.

The Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of health and personal social services, including those at facilities such as St. Patrick’s Community Hospital in Fermoy. The community hospital provides long-term respite, convalescent and palliative care. It was registered with the Health Information and Quality Authority on 28 June 2015 for a period of three years. The hospital normally caters for people over 65 years of age but also provides care to young chronically sick patients and palliative care to adults. The Deputy will be aware that the five-year capital programme announced last year includes refurbishment works at the hospital.

Challenges emerged in recent months in respect of medical cover at the hospital, which is provided by three local GP practices. One practice provided this service three days a week. The remaining two practices provided the service on the fourth and fifth days. Following the resignation of a medical officer in-----

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