Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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761. To ask the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in establishing the right to home care support on a statutory footing; and the timeframe now proposed for same. [20859/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The overarching policy of the Government is to support older people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. Where this is not possible, the Health Service Executive supports access to quality long-term residential care where this is appropriate. It is my objective to ensure that available resources are deployed to achieve the best possible outcomes for older people.

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 were met. The 2015 Service Plan projects the expected provision of 10.3m hours help hours this year and that 13,800 people will be in receipt of a home care package.

The current review of the Nursing Home Support Scheme will include consideration of the way that residential and community care is currently balanced, and whether new approaches to the provision and financing of community care would be appropriate.