Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----from the previous month and 4,764 from the same period last year. It is taking effect and making a difference. It is having an impact on procedures, with which we are familiar. Between July 2017 and the end of last year, there was a reduction of more than 2,000 people waiting for cataract appointments, 200 fewer people waiting for hip operations and a series of other improvements in terms of knees, tonsils, gall bladders and so on. We are not claiming that the job is done, but significant progress is being made.

Budget 2018 allocated an additional €18 million to home support services. The additional resources have brought the resources for the direct provision of home support services to €408 million, delivering more than 17 million home support hours to approximately 50,000 people, many of them in west Cork. This is an increase on last year's figure. In addition, 235 intensive home care packages will provide 360,000 home support hours for people with complex needs, some of whom are also in west Cork.

I hear what the Deputy is saying on behalf of his constituents but, now that we can afford to spend significantly more money, we as a Government are responding by way of home help, home care, increasing the carer's allowance and pensions, and a series of other measures through which we are respecting and supporting elderly people living at home. However, it takes time to make significant differences, particularly in terms of waiting lists and putting localised services in place that people can access. In the meantime, considerable progress has been made through the NTPF.

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