Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)

Improving access to home support is a priority for this Government. Home support hours have increased every year since 2020, from 17.8 million hours in 2020 to a funded target of over 24 million hours in 2025, including intensive and complex home support. The HSE has reported that 5,556 people were assessed and waiting on the provision of home support at the end of 2024, including those waiting for a carer to be assigned and those waiting on funding to be allocated. This is a substantial reduction since the start of 2020, when over 9,000 people were waiting across both categories. Of the people assessed and waiting, 3,073 had a home support service in place but required additional hours, while 2,483 people were waiting for a new package.

As at the end of March 2025, the latest preliminary data indicates that 5.97 million hours had been delivered, an increase of approximately 5.5% since March last year. Nationally, the waiting list for home support reduced to 4,888 people at the end of March, with 2,693 people waiting for additional home support hours and 2,195 people waiting for a new package. No one was waiting for funding to be allocated. The waiting list was approximately 17% higher at the same time last year. Priority is given to those in the community with acute needs and those assessed and in hospitals who can return home with supports.

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