Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

I wish to raise the issue of home care.

As the Minister of State is aware, the Cork-Kerry region has approximately 1,300 people on its home care waiting list, accounting for nearly one quarter of the national list of 6,000. I acknowledge the work the Minister of State has done in recent years and she has received additional funding in the most recent budget, but it has not trickled down to Cork and Kerry. At the most recent meeting that TDs from my area attended with the HSE, we were told that it took nine months to hire a home care worker on average. Much can happen in nine months and people's career paths can take different directions. Will the Minister of State please outline what the additional money she has secured in the budget will do to tackle this backlog?

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