Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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738. To ask the Minister for Health if he will review cuts to packages under the home care scheme which were recently introduced following a directive from the Health Service Executive to managers, particularly given the hospital overcrowding crisis, which is exacerbated by cuts to home help hours. [9880/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I consider that home care services are a key mechanism for enabling older people to remain in their own homes and communities for as long as possible.

It is part of the role of the HSE to allocate available funding across service areas and to frame a National Service Plan that most effectively meets the needs of service users. In relation to home care, with a Budget of €324m in 2016, the HSE's projected target is to deliver:

- 10.4 million Home Help Hours to about 47,800 people at any one time;

-15,450 people will be in receipt of a HCP at any one time;

- 130 Intensive HCPs for clients with complex needs (A further 60 clients with dementia will be supported by funding provided by Atlantic Philanthropies.

The HSE has advised that home care will be provided in accordance with the Service Plan. The Executive is profiling its activity to best reflect the pattern of demand that is expected to arise across the course of the year, and the level of funding available for home care in 2015 is being maintained in 2016.

I will continue to carefully monitor the situation in consultation with the HSE.