Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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209. To ask the Minister for Health if the future of home help provision is in jeopardy; if the Health Service Executive recognises the value of this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24309/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Government policy will continue to prioritise facilitating older people to remain in their own homes and communities for as long as possible, and ensuring that appropriate residential care is available when it is needed. The HSE provides a range of community-based services aimed at ensuring older people receive safe, timely and appropriate care and treatment at the lowest level of complexity, and as close to home as possible. Services are provided on a prioritised basis based on a care needs assessment and availability of resources.

In its National Service Plan (NSP) for 2015 the HSE stated that it will continue to progress the strategic realignment of services to provide home care and community support services in order to maximise the potential of older people in their own homes and communities. The levels of home supports planned for in the NSP are:

- 10.3 million hours of home help service supporting 50,000 people.

- 13,800 people in receipt of a home care packages at any one time.

- 190 people in receipt of an intensive home care package at any one time.