Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 132: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will provide an assurance that there will be no restriction in funding available to children and adults with special needs in the course of 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6890/09]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy's question relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 133: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will provide an assurance that home help funding and allocation of home help hours are restored to previous levels without delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6891/09]

Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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The Home Help Service is a well established and successful component of the overall strategy to enable older people to remain in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. Significant funding has been provided to the Health Service Executive in recent years for the expansion of this service. As the Executive has operational responsibility for the management and delivery of the service at national and local level, in line with its overall service priorities and resources, I have referred the matter to the Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.