Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 250: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of home care packages made available in each Health Service Executive area and in Counties Roscommon and Leitrim in 2005 respectively; the corresponding numbers who availed of such packages via stepdown from the acute hospital services and who were either resident in a nursing home or in the community prior to availing of the scheme; the planned figures under each category for 2006; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6689/06]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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A sum of €55 million was allocated to home care packages in the 2006 budget. This is a full year cost, €30 million of which is for 2006, during which an additional 2,000 packages will be provided by the Health Service Executive across the country. The priority will be older people living in the community or who are inpatients in an acute hospital who may otherwise require admission to residential care. The home care packages will also be available to those older people who have been admitted to long-term care and who now wish to return to the community.

The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, the Department has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.