John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Harney, who cannot be here.

I thank the Senator for raising this issue as it give me the opportunity to re-affirm the Government's continued commitment to services for older people generally and, in particular, to the important area of the home help service.

Government policy in regard to older people is to support people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. Where this is not feasible, the health service supports access to quality long-term residential care where this is appropriate. This policy approach is renewed and developed in the partnership agreement, Towards 2016.

The development of these services nationally reflects the prioritisation and significant investment by the Government in recent years with, for example, just more than €200 million additional funding provided to develop or expand such services over the period 2006 to 2008. This additional funding related, for example, to home care packages, home help, meals-on-wheels and day respite care. Home care services are delivered either directly by the Health Service Executive or on behalf of the executive in partnership as appropriate with the voluntary sector or through private providers.

Specifically, the position in regard to the home help service shows, for example, expected expenditure this year of €211 million by the HSE, including more than €55 million development funding provided since 2006; an increase from 10.8 million home help hours in 2006 to nearly 12 million hours this year; and numbers benefiting increasing from 41,400 in 2006 to around 54,500 this year.

The home care packages are a relatively new initiative, introduced in 2006, and developed in the meantime across the country through a phased investment of €120 million new funding made available by the Government. A package comprises a variety of community based services and supports, including a significant home help element in many cases, to meet the needs of an older person. Clients may have significant medical, nursing and-or therapy requirements and may be recently discharged from hospital, or at risk of admission to hospital, if such needs are not met in a planned way. The HSE service plan envisages around 8,700 people benefiting from packages at any one time, or more than 11,000 people benefiting over the course of the full year.

It is important to stress that, notwithstanding current financial pressures generally, the Government has made every effort to protect home care services for older people. This year, the HSE aims to deliver the same quantity and quality of home help and home care packages nationally as delivered in 2008.

I understand that, in the first quarter of 2009, the HSE in Donegal provided 54,246 home support hours per month. This is in excess of budgeted hours, which is set at 52,000 hours per month for 2009. Since 2003, there has been a 60% increase in home help hours delivered to older people in Donegal. In addition, 191 people in Donegal benefit directly from home care packages. The local health office provides the third highest number of home help hours per capita to those over 65 years of age out of 32 local health offices nationwide.

The HSE has indicated it is intended to achieve efficiencies in service delivery, by reviewing the scale of provision on Sunday and bank holidays in particular where premium pay rates apply. The aim is to meet patient needs through a variety of supports, including public health nursing, day hospitals, day centres, home care packages etc. Any person who is dissatisfied with the level of home support can appeal the decision to the HSE appeals officer in the north west.

It is clear the Government has made considerable improvements in recent years to enhance home care provision generally across the country, including in Donegal. There is no doubt that demand can at times exceed service resources. I am satisfied, however, that the HSE will continue to deliver the home help service in the best manner possible, taking account of evolving financial circumstances at national and local level.