Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 302: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason her reply to Parliamentary Question No. 452 of 26 September, 2007 was confined to Longford-Westmeath when the question was in relation to the training of home helps within the HSE; if the stated area is the only area where home helps are receiving training; if so, the reason for same; if not, the record within the rest of the HSE in relation to the training of home helps; if the type of training as stated in the original reply is available in such areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34067/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services was assigned to the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Therefore, the Executive was the appropriate body to consider the particular case raised by the Deputy. My Department requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to issue a reply directly to the Deputy.

The HSE inform me that a letter was sent to the Deputy, dated 16 November 2007, in which it said that the information being sought in relation to the exact numbers of Home Support staff trained and the cost to the HSE, was not routinely available so may take some time to collect. Following on from that letter, I am told that the HSE requested this information from each of the relevant sectors across the country. It would appear that the reply supplied by Longford/Westmeath sector was sent directly to the Deputy, as well as to the HSE. The Executive are continuing to compile the composite reply on this matter, including information in relation to Longford/Westmeath, which will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is completed.