Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)

I tabled a similar parliamentary question a couple of weeks ago regarding Sligo-Leitrim. One thing I noticed was that, in both counties, the number of hours that were sanctioned but unmet in Leitrim had doubled in the 12 months between 2023 and 2024 and in Sligo had trebled, particularly for older people. One thing I discovered is that what normally happens is the district nurse or some professional recommends a specific number of hours for Lily, Mary, John or whoever as the hours they need but they are never given those hours. The hours sanctioned are less than that, probably one third less. In fact, the need is greater than what is sanctioned. That is the first point.

The second point is that people who work in the service tell me the HSE puts out recruitment programmes that are advertised, brings people in and interviews them, but that it is three, six or 12 months later before they get a call back from the HSE offering them a job. They are not going to be sitting at home for six months. They are finding that the HSE, in many people's view, is not serious about recruiting people in a timely manner in order that they can take up the positions.

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