The Taoiseach just said that the Government has no say in the allocation of home care packages.

Is this the same issue?

No, it concerns the issue of home care. The Taoiseach is the Head of State. Does he think it is right that a citizen and child of this State, Hannah Donnelly from Drogheda, has now spent 19 months in hospital waiting for a home care package to be approved? This is not the first, second or third time I have raised this matter. To this day she is still waiting. There are eight days to go before Christmas Day. Her family are crying in sheer and utter distress, wondering if Hannah's home care package will be approved so she can go home to live with her family at last. She has spent the last two Christmases-----

We are trying to make progress. I will make a suggestion.

This is beyond belief. She has spent the last two Christmases in hospital. She is medically fit. The medical opinion was that the best place for Hannah was at home with her family. Will the Taoiseach, as Head of State-----

He is not the Head of State.

-----make sure that Hannah Donnelly does not spend a third Christmas in hospital waiting for a home care package?

It is a very sad case.

Will he ensure that this Christmas is special for Hannah and her family?

Will the Deputy allow the Taoiseach to answer? We are out of time.

No Government worth its salt-----

I know it is important for Deputies to raise issues, but it is also important for the public to hear the responses.

-----would inflict that sort of thing on any citizen of this State, let alone a child. Again, it has been 19 months.

I am sure if the Deputy refers this particularly tragic case to the Taoiseach, he will pass it on.

I certainly will and I have already done so in the past. I should point out that I am not the Head of State.

The Taoiseach is the Head of Government.

The Deputy is a legislator and as a legislator, she is paid to know what the legislation is. The Health Act 2004 states that the Minister cannot make a direction to the HSE to favour any individual or approve any medical card or home care package. It is important that as a legislator, the Deputy is aware of the legislation.

The Taoiseach is full of compassion.

I hope that Hannah's package can be approved in the coming days so that she can return to her home before Christmas and not in the new year.

As the Chair of this House, does the Leas-Cheann Comhairle think it is reasonable that the Taoiseach should be familiar with every application for a home care package from every constituency in the State?

That is what we are hearing here for the past half hour.

I have raised this four times.

I do not disagree with the Minister.

In terms of fairness.

Nineteen months for a child is exceptional.

If Deputies want the answers, they will not get them from the Taoiseach because he is not in a position to give the specific answers.

They do not want the answers.

It is important for some people just to ask questions. Sorry, Taoiseach.

We have chased it up about ten times.

I have been there and done that and I realise what it is like to ask the questions, but if the Taoiseach or the Ministers cannot give answers, then there is another way and I am always very agreeable to that, and so is the Ceann Comhairle, when it comes to raising Topical Issues or tabling parliamentary questions. I do not disagree with the Minister, but I should add that some Ministers and the Taoiseach preface their remarks with the comment that they are glad the Deputy asked them that question. I wonder then if they are pleased that the Deputies have asked the questions.