Question from Deputy John McGuinness - PQ 61540-25

To ask the Minister for Health the efforts being made by the HSE to recruit staff for the home support services being delivered in Carlow and Kilkenny; the estimated number of extra staff required to fulfil all of the demands on the service; the number of frontline staff directly employed by the HSE in the service; the number of agency staff employed for each of the past three years; if a certain ratio between HSE and agency staff is required to be maintained; if the home support services will be maintained as a stand alone service into the future; if the hours budgeted for by Government are fully allocated or sufficient to cover requirements to year end; and if she will make a statement on the matter.