Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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197. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons in counties Louth and Meath in receipt of home care packages; the percentage of the Health Service Executive funded home care packages provided by private companies; if he will provide a breakdown of expenditure on home care packages for 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23817/14]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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198. To ask the Minister for Health the approved providers for home care packages in counties Louth and Meath; the way these providers are selected; the way home care services are regulated; if he will address the need for stricter regulations, standards and auditing of home help services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23818/14]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Government for National Recovery, 2011-2016 commits to developing and implementing national standards for home support services, which will be subject to HIQA inspection. Primary legislation and resources will be required for the introduction of a statutory regulation system for home care services. This is being considered in the wider context of the licensing of Public and Private Health Service Providers.

I would like to emphasise, however that statutory regulation or licensing is only one way of improving quality and safety and the HSE is already progressing a range of measures to improve Home Care provision overall, to standardise services nationally and to promote quality, and safety. These include a Procurement Framework for Home Care Services with quality and screening requirements which came into effect in 2012 and applies to services procured by the HSE from external providers. The HSE is currently undertaking a review of home care services with a view to improving services generally.

In relation to the particular queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service matters, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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199. To ask the Minister for Health if he will clarify whether recent changes have taken place with regard to home care package service providers in Drogheda, County Louth; the reason service providers have been changed; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the change in service providers has left those who depend on these services feeling vulnerable, confused and distraught owing to a lack of communication from the Health Service Executive regarding such changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23819/14]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.