Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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848. To ask the Minister for Health if he will agree to meet urgently with representatives of an organisation (details supplied) in an effort to agree to funding for a new rate on the Homecare Tender 2023 that reflects increased costs of care and that allows them to offer homecare staff a living wage, travel time and mileage costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24858/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The existing tender for home support services was extended by the HSE at the end of 2022, initially to the end of April 2023. The HSE has proposed a further extension of the contract arrangements to Friday 30^thof June, to allow time to finalise tender arrangements. This is a priority area and the process of developing the new tender is at an advanced stage. Officials in the Department of Health are engaging at a senior level with the HSE and the HSE has ongoing engagements with home care providers to progress the new tender.

A strict communication protocol applies in all phases of the procurement process, therefore a meeting with a particular organisation on Tender 2023 cannot be facilitated at this time.