James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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415. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the provision of home help or home care packages when a person is below 65 years of age but suffers from various diseases including partial blindness and multiple sclerosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23403/18]

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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The Health Service Executive (HSE) is committed to protecting the level of Personal Assistant services and Home Support services available to persons with disabilities.  In their 2018 National Service Plan, the HSE's priority is to provide 1.46 million hours of Personal Assistant services to more than 2,000 people with a disability, representing an increase of 60,000 over the 2017 target of 1.4 million hours.  The HSE will also provide 2.93 million hours of Home Support services to adults and children with a disability, an increase of 180,000 hours over the 2017 target of 2.75 million hours.

As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for a direct reply to the Deputy.