Minister for Finance & Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe T.D., announced an increase in home care funding. Home care will receive an uplift from €436M in 2019 to approximately €481M in 2020.
Joseph Musgrave, Chief Executive of HCCI, said:
“We welcome the announcement from Minister Donohoe. According to our figures, the current waiting list requires around €50M and 2M hours to fully clear. If the HSE holds the cost of the home care service down, these extra hours will significantly cut that list and end uncertainty for thousands of vulnerable people. This is a hugely positive development and shows commitment from the Government and Opposition parties towards vulnerable people. “However, as our Pre-Budget Submission explained, the increased funding today will only begin to help clear the historic waiting list. Ireland’s changing demographics mean that we are still in need of €93M in order to stop the waiting list starting to grow again.” “Whilst this additional resource is welcome, it is disappointing that none of HCCI’s recommendations to increase the labour force appear to be funded. We suggested a range of measures from changes to social welfare rules to more money to organisations like Skillnet Ireland in order to meet the expected demand for 7,000 carers in 2021. We will continue to argue for these measures as, without them, the planned statutory scheme for home care will be hampered from the beginning.”
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