Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Buckley for raising this important issue, which I will take on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Daly.

The Government's core stated objective is to promote care in the community in order that people can continue to live with confidence, security and dignity in their homes and communities for as long as possible, which is what older people and all Deputies want. There are patients in genuine need of residential care, whether on a long-stay or short-stay basis, and their safety and well-being is of paramount concern.

The nursing homes support scheme, NHSS, provides financial support for those in need of long-term nursing home care. Participants in the scheme contribute to the cost of their care according to their means, while the State pays the balance of the cost. The scheme aims to ensure that long-term nursing home care is accessible and affordable for everyone and that people are cared for in the most appropriate settings. Residential care is provided through a mix of public, voluntary and private provision. The budget for the NHSS in 2019 is €985 million and more than 23,000 clients on average at any one time will access long-term residential care through the scheme.

Cobh Community Hospital is an independent facility providing residential care services for older people in Cobh and the surrounding area. The majority of the funding for Cobh Community Hospital comes under the NHSS for long-term residential care. The hospital also provides other services to older people in Cobh and the surrounding communities, including short-stay and respite care. Some 44 beds in Cobh Community Hospital provide long-term residential care for up to 41 people and short-stay respite care to a further three people. The HSE, through Cork Kerry Community Healthcare, provides funding for the short-stay beds, as well as funding for some of the long-term residential care beds.

The voluntary and not-for-profit sector has a long tradition of providing care to older people in Ireland through nursing homes such as Cobh Community Hospital. This provision of care complements that delivered directly by the HSE and ensures that older people in our communities have a greater choice of long-term residential care, allowing them to stay closer to their communities, should they so choose. The HSE has engaged with the hospital board in respect of funding and the future provision of care in the hospital, and is continuing to provide support to the board on the issue. Based on its engagement with the Cobh Community Hospital board, the HSE is confident the facility is financially viable. The Minister of State, Deputy Daly, has engaged with the senior management of the HSE on the matter and is confident a resolution can be found. He acknowledges the significant role of private and voluntary providers in residential care provision and hopes the engagement between the HSE and the Cobh Community Hospital board will ensure the continued financial viability of the hospital.

I do not have a response to the question on the Castlemartyr community health centre but I will follow up on the matter. I will raise the Deputy's concerns with the Minister of State, Deputy Daly, and revert to the Deputy with details.

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