Katherine Zappone (Independent)

I welcome the Minister of State back to the House.

I have a question for the Minister of State which was asked last week during the Order of Business by my colleague Senator Mary Ann O'Brien. She is unable to be here today for which she sends her regrets. In response, to Senator O'Brien's question last week, Senator Bacik indicated that these could be raised again with the Minister of State when she came to the House. As the Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill is before the House and the shortage of junior doctors is causing one of many strains on our health system it is perhaps timely that Senator O'Brien is highlighting the issue of home nursing care together with its corresponding financial benefits. Senator O'Brien asked why it is that the Irish State does not have a national budget for paediatric home nursing care. It makes sense to care for children with life-limiting conditions at home and by doing so save millions of euro of taxpayers' money by keeping these children out of hospital and so avoiding unnecessary blocking of beds.

Last Monday, 4 July a spokesperson from the HSE said in the Evening Herald that, "The HSE is committed to enhancing community based care for its clients right across the health service and seeks to provide the best level of care for children and families". If this is so, it would seem to make sense and to save public money by having a national budget for paediatric home nursing care. The HSE spokesperson was responding to the case of Leona Burke from Fortunestown in Tallaght. She is a frustrated and isolated parent, left coping alone with her seriously disabled four-year old son Jamie. Leona is the sole career of Jamie who suffers from a rare defective disorder and who is on the HSE priority list. However, so far, being on the priority list has not assisted Jamie and his mother, Leona, is now pleading his case through the media, along with other families. These stories leave the public asking why this is happening in Ireland in 2011.

While some progress has been made by means of research and policies, we are still without an action plan on care in the community and the funds to make it happen. The importance of respite care services is recognised in the national policy on palliative care for children with life-limiting conditions in Ireland. There is certainly no shortage of evidence from the Irish Hospice Foundation, the Children's Sunshine Home or the Jack and Jill Children's Foundation, which have all made the case for more investment in community care. Indeed, on the financial side, the actual return on investment in the community care model is clear, with home nursing care and respite care costing nine times less than hospital care. The average annual cost of hospital care is €147,000, which is nine times more expensive than the €16,000 cost of home care provision for those children supported by the Jack and Jill Children's Foundation. I ask this question for the consideration of the Minister of State.