Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I will respond to Senator Doherty on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children. I thank the Senator for raising this issue and thereby giving me an opportunity to reaffirm the Government's continued commitment to services for older people and, in particular, the important area of home help services.

The Government's policy on older people involves supporting them to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. If this is not feasible, the health service supports access to quality long-term residential care, where appropriate. This policy approach was renewed and developed in the partnership agreement, Towards 2016. The development of services for older people throughout the country reflects the prioritisation of, and significant investment in, this area by the Government in recent years. For example, additional funding of just over €200 million was provided to develop or expand community-based services between 2006 and 2008. This additional funding related to home care packages, home help, meals on wheels and day or respite care, for example. Home care services are delivered either directly by, or on behalf of, the Health Service Executive, in partnership with the voluntary sector or through private providers, as appropriate.

I will set out the position in relation to home help. It is expected that the HSE will spend €211 million on the home help service this year. Over €55 million in development funding has been provided since 2006. The number of home help hours being provided has increased from 10.8 million in 2006 to almost 12 million this year. The number of people benefiting from the home help service has increased from 41,400 in 2006 to approximately 54,500 this year. Home care packages, which are a relatively new initiative, were introduced in 2006. They were developed across the country through the Government's phased investment of €120 million in new funding. Home help packages consist of a variety of community-based services and supports, including a significant home help element in many cases, to best meet the needs of older people. Home help clients may have significant medical, nursing or therapy requirements. They may have recently been discharged from hospital. They may be at risk of admission to hospital if their needs are not met in a planned way. The HSE service plan envisages that approximately 8,700 people will benefit from home help packages at any one time. Over 11,000 people will benefit over the course of this year.

It is important to stress that, notwithstanding its current financial pressures, 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 it delivered in 2008. I understand that the HSE in County Donegal provided 54,246 home support hours per month in the first quarter of 2009. This was in excess of the number of budgeted hours, which is 52,000 hours per month for 2009. Since 2003, there has been a 60% increase in the number of home help hours delivered to older people in Donegal. In addition, 191 people in Donegal benefit directly from home care packages.

Of this country's 32 local health offices, the local health office in Donegal provides the third highest number of home help hours per capita to those over 65 years of age. The HSE has indicated that it intends to achieve efficiencies in service delivery by reviewing the scale of provision, particularly on Sundays and bank holidays when premium pay rates apply. It aims to meet patient needs through a variety of supports, including public health nursing, day hospitals, day centres and home care packages. Any person in County Donegal who is not satisfied with the level of home support being provided can appeal the decision to the HSE appeals officer in the north west.

It is clear that the Government has made considerable improvements in recent years to enhance home care provision across the country, including County 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 possible manner, taking account of evolving circumstances at national and local levels.