It is already well into the winter and, for the first time since records began, the number of hospital patients without beds during 2018 has exceeded 100,000. It is not yet 1 December. However, throughout the country home care packages and home help hours are being curtailed or are being awarded but not funded due to the lack of funding. They are one solution to this problem. The Government cannot even blame doctors and nurses because the Christmas holidays have not started yet. Will the Tánaiste comment on the position with home care packages and home help hours, which would help alleviate the crisis in accident and emergency departments?

The Deputy will be aware that a €30 million package was announced last week and that there are 550 additional home care packages. On foot of the debate last week, we are aware of the many initiatives that are in place. We are trying to have a long-term plan for a fair deal-type scheme for 2021. I have spoken about this matter on numerous occasions in the House. We hope to publish the plan in 2020 in order to give people a look at what it will involve. Until we get to that point, we will not be able to meet the demand that exists. There is no point in pretending that we will. Last year, we delivered 17 million home help hours and I hope to improve on that this year. The service plan will be agreed in the next week to ten days. We certainly will improve on that figure but we will not get to where we need to be. The current system is not fit for purpose and involves sending people 7 miles north or 8 miles south for half an hour here and half an hour there. We cannot get the people we need to deliver the service either. There are challenges on a number of fronts. We are making every effort to try to allocate whatever resources are available, but we are competing with other areas. Fianna Fáil's spokesperson on health is seeking equalisation for consultants, home help and other items, all of which cost €20 million, €30 million or €40 million. We cannot provide it all. We can only continue incrementally to do the best we can.