461 people in Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary have been left without home carers, despite being approved for the service.
That’s according to figures released by the HSE to Sinn Féin spokesperson on Disability and Carers Pauline Tully which confirmed that almost 5,000 people across the State are waiting for a carer to be allocated to them.
Describing the situation as unacceptable, Limerick Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlivan said that his party had been warning for many years of a looming crisis in the homecare system, as too many people who require homecare aren’t getting the hours they need.
“This crisis has spiralled during the pandemic, yet the government has consistently failed to properly plan and put contingencies in place, Deputy Quinlivan declared.
“Behind every statistic are real lives and real people who are being let down by the state. People with disabilities and older people should have every right to lead full, independent lives and receive sufficient support from the state to meet their needs.
“In response to a parliamentary question from Deputy Pauline Tully, the government acknowledged that ‘factors, such as the contracts of employment on offer and employment terms and conditions being offered are a factor in the recruitment challenges faced by the sector’.
“I am calling on the government to engage with private and community and voluntary homecare providers to incentivise the progression of the terms and conditions they offer their staff and bring them into line with those employed directly by the HSE.
“I am also calling on the government to reintroduce priority PCR testing for healthcare staff, including homecare workers, as well as relaxing the income and working hours limits for part-time homecare workers in receipt of social welfare payments to quickly introduce additional capacity to the homecare sector.
“This situation is not good enough for people here in Limerick and across the state. The government must stop burying their heads in the sand on this issue and finally prioritise people with disabilities to ensure they get the support they deserve,” Deputy Quinlivan concluded.
