Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for her important question. We have provided sufficient funding to keep the waiting period for the fair deal scheme at four weeks from now until the end of the year. We are beginning to see a fall in the number of delayed discharges, admittedly from a high base. As I said to Deputy Buckley, the HSE has been given an additional €26 million to engage in winter planning between now and the end of the year, which should mean more homecare packages, more transitional care services and more fair deal scheme places. I will arrange for a specific note on fair deal scheme numbers to be forwarded to the Deputy.

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