Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The overcrowding in hospitals is causing massive issues but the Minister, the HSE and the Department have to look at where money can be saved. I have raised an issue privately with the Minister in recent weeks. I gave him a file on it. We have still not got any response. Families of patients are being fobbed off. They want to be able to bring their family member home and are committed to doing so. A home care package has to be put in place. They were told three weeks ago that there is no funding for the home care package they seek. That would help people. It would free up beds in the system.

It is happening all over, and I know that other Deputies have experience of it also, where families are waiting for assessments and are being told that the patient first has to come home from acute settings. There is a crisis in this regard that is causing overcrowding.

I ask the Minister please to look at the file I gave to him last week and come back to me on it this week. The family needs answers. They are hoping to be able to help themselves and help their loved ones and to help the system by freeing up a badly needed hospital bed.

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