Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As Sinn Féin spokesperson for older people, I see at first hand the effects of the failure of this Government and previous governments to properly plan for home care and home help for the elderly. There are people in hospital now who could be at home, but because there are no staff for their fully approved home care packages they remain in hospital, putting further pressure on already-stretched hospital resources. We have heard the phrase "bed blocker" on many occasions. I hate anybody who uses that term.

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