Independent TD for Wexford, Verona Murphy, has again raised her concerns over the urgent and pressing need to immediately address the crisis in the provision of home care supports.

Speaking from her New Ross constituency office, the Deputy has said,

“In a response to a recent parliamentary question to the Minister for Health, I have been provided with some very concerning figures from the HSE detailing the present crisis with the delivery of HSE home care supports in County Wexford. The average number of home care support hours provided by the HSE to clients in Wexford is 8 hours per week and the figures provided to me indicate that there are presently a possible 540 persons awaiting the delivery of home care support hours. 540 persons, 540 families approved minimal support hours but finding themselves left in limbo, frustrated and panicked as their approved hours cannot be delivered due to chronic shortage of staff provisions within the sector”

“Our Home carers are being left unsupported and exhausted. Many home carers are on duty 24/7 365 days a year with little or no additional supports or respite, saving the state millions in the provision for nursing home care. The delivery of home care supports must be addressed as a matter of extreme urgency. It is deeply frustrating for families in very trying and vulnerable situations. It is imperative that the shortfall in services is addressed immediately and that departmental provisions are made to recruit staff to the sector. I have asked on several occasions already what consultations and communications are being made between the HSE and education providers, what provisions are being made to improve the working conditions for the sector?

“Government spin time and time again with zero delivery. Last years budget gloated about 1million additional funded hours for homecare but nothing about how these hours were to be delivered, no core plan to support the provision of services for families in Wexford and beyond. Words and promises must be replaced with on the ground actions”