Fair Deal beds fail by Health Minister challenged by Kathleen Funchion

HEALTH MINISTER Leo Varadkar has been challenged by Sinn Féin Carlow/Kilkenny by-election candidate Cllr Kathleen Funchion on the Government's failure revealed by the “deeply worrying reduction” in Fair Deal beds across the country, including her own constituency.

Kathleen Funchion (pictured) said that the Fair Deal waiting list in January 2012 stood at 325 – three years later, this January, it had more than trebled to 1,196.

The dramatic fall emerged in a response provided by the Health Service Executive to a Parliamentary Question by Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams TD.

Kathleen Funchion also pointed out that, in 2011, there were 205 beds available in Carlow/Kilkenny under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme but this had fallen, “quite dramatically”, to 137 beds in 2014.

“There a deeply worrying reduction in the number of beds being provided to those who are in dire need of financial support in order access residential care services.

“There can be no doubt that the Fair Deal scheme is in crisis in many constituencies throughout the state. Fine Gael and Labour have decided to keep Fair Deal as a budget-capped scheme despite spiralling waiting lists.  This means that vulnerable individuals and families have to go through weeks of waiting at great personal expense.

“The failure to operate the Fair Deal scheme in an effective manner is putting patients at clinical risk. The Government’s haphazard approach to the situation has also contributed to the overcrowding crisis in our hospitals.

“It is unacceptable and it cannot be allowed to continue.

"Sinn Féin is calling on the Minister for Health to take immediate action to ensure that the Fair Deal scheme lives up to its name by providing the required number of beds for those in need of long-term care.”