Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 319: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the annual provision for investment in health care services for the elderly each year since 1997 to date in 2006; the improvements to existing services in that time; the additional services provided in that time; her plans to develop health care services for the elderly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39018/06]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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In 1997, funding for services for older people under a range of expenditure headings was about €219 million.

Funding for additional services for older people including palliative care, was increased by the following amounts in the period 1998 to 2006.

It must be emphasised that, in addition, the programme for older people would have received pay increases under national wage agreements, such as Sustaining Progress etc, or special pay claims. Where full account is taken of the above factors, the total estimated expenditure for 2006 is €1.2 billion, as published in the Revised Book of Estimates.

Examples of the improvements to services as a result of these increases include the Nursing Home Subvention Scheme which had its funding increased from €35.3 million in 1997 to €160 million in 2006. The additional €20 million allocated in Budget 2006 is to support more basic nursing home subventions and reduce waiting lists for enhanced subventions; it is also to bring more consistency to subventions support throughout the country.

Home Care Packages, which include the services of nurses, home helps and the various therapists including physio and occupational, did not exist in 1997. Funding of €30m was allocated to Home Care Packages in Budget '06 based on 1,100 pilot home care packages in place at the end of 2005. It was allocated to deliver a total of 2,000 additional Home Care Packages by end of 2006. The HSE has advised that 3,095 new clients were in receipt of Home Care Packages up to the end of September of this year.

Day/Respite Care services received an additional €9 million (€7m in 2006 and €2m in 2007) to provide about 1,325 extra places per week in such centres.

The Home Help Service received almost €120million in 2005 and an additional €33m was allocated to it in 2006 (€30m for 2006 and €3m for 2007). The additional funding is providing 1.75m additional hours.

Elder Abuse — In the period 2003-2005 approximately €2.5m additional funding was allocated to the programme to combat elder abuse. An additional €2 million was allocated in this year's Budget to facilitate the implementation of the full range of recommendations of the report 'Protecting Our Future'. These include the development of a research function in this area and the appointment of Senior Case Workers. The Health Service Executive recently advertised these posts and it is expected that 27 Senior Case Workers and 4 Dedicated Elder Abuse Officers will be appointed by the end of the year.

Geriatricians — Since 1997, additional consultant geriatricians have been appointed with appropriate staff support. There are now 60 approved geriatrician posts.

It is the Department's policy to maintain older people in dignity and independence at home in accordance with their wishes, and at the same time to provide high quality residential care for older people when living at home is no longer possible. The Government's commitment to the development of a comprehensive range of services for older people has been clearly demonstrated by the significantly increased resources made available in recent years and outlined above.

The Government is currently considering new policy on Long Term Care and several principles underlying this were agreed with the social partners in "Towards 2016". These principles include, for example, that there should be one standardised national needs assessment for older people needing care. The use of community and home-based care should be maximised. Sheltered housing options will be encouraged. Where residential care is required, it should be quality care and there should be appropriate and equitable levels of co-payment by care recipients based on a national standardised financial assessment. The level of support for residential care should be indifferent as to whether that care is in a public or private facility. The financial model to support any new arrangements must also be financially sustainable. The Department is currently drawing up proposals for the Government's consideration based on the principles in "Towards 2016".

Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 320: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the expected impact of an ageing population and greater life expectancy on the provision of health care; her plans to cope with same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39019/06]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Health Care for Older People will become increasingly important in the coming years due to an ageing population, coupled with increased life expectancy. It is against this background that the Government is currently considering new policy on Long Term Care and several principles underlying this were agreed with the social partners in "Towards 2016". These principles include, for example, that there should be one standardised national needs assessment for older people needing care. The use of community and home-based care should be maximised. Sheltered housing options will be encouraged. Where residential care is required, it should be quality care and there should be appropriate and equitable levels of co-payment by care recipients based on a national standardised financial assessment. The level of support for residential care should be indifferent as to whether that care is in a public or private facility. The financial model to support any new arrangements must also be financially sustainable.

The Department is currently drawing up proposals for the Government's consideration based on the principles in "Towards 2016".