Almost 5,000 people who have been assessed and allocated home support hours are waiting for carers to be assigned, while funding is not an issue, new figures reveal.
The data shows 4,888 people are waiting for home support carers to help them remain living independently, despite having completed assessments and being allocated care hours. An additional 2,693 people already receiving home care are waiting for extra hours to provide adequate support.
The figures, provided to Sinn Féin TD David Cullinane, highlight significant delays in Ireland’s home care system affecting over 7,500 people, predominantly older adults. Cullinane noted that while remaining at home is typically the preferred option for people, lengthy waiting lists are removing choice from families.
“Essentially there are over 7,500 mainly older people waiting for the appropriate levels of home support to be provided,” Cullinane said. He added that some people on waiting lists are receiving only a fraction of their allocated hours.
The TD criticized the delay in implementing a statutory home care scheme, first proposed in 2017 under the previous government but still not established eight years later.
Minister of State for Older People Kieran O’Donnell said this week that the Department of Health is “progressing the development of a regulatory framework for providers.” The planned legislation will regulate home support services through a registration system for providers, with operating without registration becoming an offence.
Joseph Musgrave, CEO of Home and Community Care Ireland, described the ongoing delays as “mind boggling.” He highlighted Cork as having one of the worst waiting lists nationally, with almost 1,000 people awaiting care hours.
“Of those, 25% are waiting a year to get home care in Cork. That is madness. Half of them are waiting over six months,” Musgrave said.
He argued that if the government genuinely views home care as central to managing an aging population and providing care close to home, it must treat the issue with appropriate seriousness. This requires the same level of accountability expected from nursing homes, hospitals, and children’s services.
Musgrave noted that while the independent sector will play a significant role in reducing waiting lists, success depends on ensuring quality care standards that give people confidence in the system.
The delays come as Ireland faces demographic challenges with an aging population requiring increased community care services to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions and nursing home placements.