Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy is aware, it is not appropriate for a Minister, in the context of existing commercial discussions, tendering processes or anything of that nature, to discuss them on the floor of the Dáil. As I said earlier, the HSE has proposed a further extension of the contract arrangements to Friday, 30 June which is its prerogative as the lead agency on this.

As I said at the outset, I am not trying to absolve myself or the Department of anything. It is simply a fact that when voted expenditure goes from this House to line Departments, it is for the Minister with responsibility for that area to set out, through the Department's policy framework, how he or she proposes to spend it.

It is worth pointing out that home care support spending has risen by 58%, from €443 million in 2019 to €700 million in 2023. These are not insignificant amounts of money, notwithstanding the level of demand that exists. Further discussions involving the HSE and the Department of Health, in terms of the completion of the tendering process, will naturally form part of the budget 2024 process which will be commencing, as I said earlier, after the summer economic statement is published.

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