Following on from Deputy Butler's question and the Taoiseach's reply, and in light of a question I raised here some weeks ago on home help, I refer to a patient who has been trying to get some home help in order to be discharged from the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire in recent weeks. The HSE is not engaging with the family in the context of putting a home care package in place, even though the HSE in Dublin is looking at the case, has costed it and has given it to HSE South. I appreciate that the Taoiseach does not have the facts in front of him, but it is a very genuine case. The family want to get out of the health system and get their loved one home over the next couple of weeks. I gave the file to the Minister some weeks ago and I appealed to him to look at it. I ask that he look at the case to see what he can do from his side and from the Government's side.

As Deputy Michael Moynihan stated, I do not have the details of the case in question, but I am sure the family would like to have their loved one home before Christmas. That is what the HSE and the Government would like too. Under the law, the Minister is precluded from making directions in individual cases. If, however, the Deputy passes on the details to him, he will certainly make inquiries.