Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

On 5 October, in this House, the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, stated: "Enabling people with care needs to continue to live independently at home for as long as possible is a priority for the Government." Today, we have 5,000 people waiting for home care support hours. According to private home care providers, 3,000 additional staff will be needed to fill the gap. Carers are not on the critical skills list for permit application on the basis of a review which states that evidence suggests the contracts of employment and terms and conditions being offered are significant factors in the recruitment challenges faced by the sector. In Wexford, we have 1,000 people waiting for home care. Yesterday, I spoke to a woman who was in tears as she is number 1,000 on the waiting list for home care support. She has a broken knee and a broken wrist and she cannot get any home care support.

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