Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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527. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 165 and 166 of 13 November 2014, if he will provide the information requested as the reply received from the Health Service Executive fails to respond to the issues raised; if his attention has been drawn to the crisis with regards to the funding of home care packages and the unacceptable waiting lists for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49478/14]

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. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

The HSE is continuously working to develop the services provided and to ensure they match the needs of older people as much as possible within the overall level of funding provided. The projected target levels for home help hours and home care packages set out in the 2014 HSE’s National Service Plan are expected to be met or exceeded. The 2015 Service Plan projects the provision of 10.3 million hours help hours this year and that 13,800 people will be in receipt of a home care package.

In addition, €25 million was allocated in budget 2015 in response to the problem of delayed discharges in acute hospitals. This will be applied across community and residential services to alleviate the delayed discharges issue to the greatest extent possible.