David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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750. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a pause on the roll-out of dementia-specific intensive home care packages in Waterford/CHO5, citing a need for clarity on a standard operating procedure; the reason it is requiring political intervention to get packages approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29577/24]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Since I became Minister of State with responsibility for Mental Health and Older People in 2020, I have worked with the Government to progressively increase funding for dementia services and supports so that everyone with dementia and their families have the supports that they need to live as well and as independently as possible.

Year on year I have ensured home supports for people affected by dementia is a priority. In Budget 2024, I continued to prioritise this by providing an additional €500,000 to increase the provision of in-home dementia day care for people.

The Home Support Service is funded by Government to deliver a volume of services each year, as approved in the HSE National Service Plan. It is a non-statutory service and access to the current service is based on assessment of the person’s needs by the HSE, having regard to the available resources and the competing demands for the service.

Home Support is provided to people based on clinically assessed need regardless of diagnosis, including those individuals with a diagnosis of dementia within the Waterford catchment area.

As at the end of May 2024, there were 47 individuals awaiting a new Home Support service while 181 individuals were awaiting additional supports in conjunction with their current Home Support services within the Waterford city and county catchment area.

This waiting list results from carer capacity issues both within the HSE Health Care Assistant (Home Support) staffing and within the private provider agencies which are included in the Home Support Authorisation Scheme.

Local Home Support Services and Public Health nursing services continue to work collaboratively in ensuring that appropriate levels of support are provided to service-user with dementia to ensure access to appropriate dementia supports.

Home support is a crucial part of the support for older people living with dementia in the community. This year the minimum proportion of new home support hours allocated to people with dementia has increased to 18%, up from 15% in 2023.