Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There is a commitment in the programme for Government regarding home help services. I know of the case of a 97 year old woman in County Laois. She was born on the day Michael Collins was shot dead and was hospitalised in July. She had a home help prior to that. She had two weeks of respite care and was released from hospital and sent home on 26 July. Since then, I have done everything to try to get home help for her but I have not been able to do so, despite the fact that she was allocated five hours and put on a waiting list. I have made numerous representations since then. She has recently been hospitalised again and still does not have home help. I am told by HSE officials that only palliative care cases are being granted new home help hours. I made representations to the chief officer in the HSE. I will just read two lines of the reply.

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