Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is a commitment in the programme for Government to increase home care packages and home help hours but we see the reality that nationally more than 6,200 people have been approved for home care hours but have not been able to receive them since last July. In the Irish Independentthis morning we read about the rise in delayed discharges because of the lack of home supports. In January, 481 delayed discharges took place. In September, before the impact of winter was felt, there were 613 delayed discharges, which equates to 130,000 bed days lost as a direct consequence. Last week, the Taoiseach said he believed the winter plan does not work. Will he confirm that €10 million was allocated to address this backlog in home help and home care packages? Will it take effect immediately, that is between now and the end of the year, and will he give an assurance to those people and their families that the commitments given to them by the HSE to home support will be met?

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