O’Shea Outraged at HSE Failure to Tackle Home Support Crisis in Cork

Calls for Emergency Measures from HSE South West

Fine Gael TD for Cork North West, Deputy John Paul O’Shea, has expressed his deep disappointment and outrage at the continued failure of the HSE South West to adequately address the serious home support challenges facing older and vulnerable people across Cork.

Deputy O’Shea was responding to information provided by the HSE following a Parliamentary Question he submitted to the Minister for Health. The figures confirm that 890 clients in Cork city and county are currently waitlisted for home support – 543 people awaiting a new service and 347 existing clients waiting for additional hours.

“These numbers are shocking and unacceptable,” Deputy O’Shea said. “Behind every one of these statistics is a person — often an older person, someone recovering from illness, or an individual with a disability — who needs essential daily support to live with dignity in their own home. The HSE’s response makes it clear that the system is in crisis, and that not enough is being done to solve it.”

While the HSE stated that funding is in place for home support hours, it admitted that a shortage of carers means services cannot be delivered. In 2024, 161 Home Support staff in Cork and Kerry resigned or retired, compared to 105 newly recruited, leaving a net loss of 56 staff.

Deputy O’Shea said this shortfall is “deeply concerning” and has a “devastating impact” in rural parts of Cork, where carer availability is especially limited.

“It is outrageous that despite having the funding in place, the HSE is unable to deliver care because of workforce shortages,” Deputy O’Shea stated. “Families in places like Millstreet, Macroom, Charleville, and across rural Cork are being left without vital supports. The HSE South West must now treat this as an emergency situation and implement immediate, targeted measures to recruit and retain carers in this region.”

He called for emergency recruitment incentives, including accelerated hiring processes and collaboration with private providers and community organisations to ensure that approved hours are actually delivered. We can’t continue to have vulnerable people approved for care on paper, while in practice they’re left waiting indefinitely,” Deputy O’Shea said. “The HSE must act with urgency and compassion — Cork families deserve better.”