Maura Hopkins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his update on services within the community health care organisation, CHO, area 2, which covers Roscommon, Galway and Mayo. However, I am still concerned about situations where health care professionals made recommendations on assessed need for personal care, domestic tasks and activities of daily life. I can provide specific examples to the Minister of State in that regard. The Government has continued to emphasise the importance of home care support to ensure people with disabilities and older people who need a little bit of extra support can live in their own homes and communities for the longest time possible. The Minister of State outlined that access to services varies across the country. I am concerned about that because no matter where one lives, one's financial situation, age or level of disability one should receive the same service based on an assessment of need. I accept that the consultation process on the development of a statutory home care scheme is important in terms of trying to deal with those variations.

I have significant concerns about a number of cases where individuals have contacted me and I will provide details in regard to those cases to the Minister. I have been in contact with the HSE on numerous occasions about them.