Donegal people waiting up to 40 weeks for home support services

People in Donegal have been waiting up to 40 weeks for new or additional home support services, with 379 clients on the waiting list as of February 2026.

The figures were revealed at this week’s Regional Health Forum, where Councillor Gary Doherty described waiting times of up to 40 weeks as a "serious concern".

Cllr Doherty has called for a breakdown of the waiting list by area within Donegal to identify where the greatest pressures are.

“I know that there are older and vulnerable patients and residents who are waiting for support in the county that enables them to stay in their own homes, and delays, as we know, can lead to hospital admissions and increased pressure on families,” he said.

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Dermot Monaghan, Integrated Health Area Manager for Donegal, said the figures would be provided and confirmed that recruitment plans are “positively progressing”.

Mr Monaghan said that 45 staff are currently on a waiting list to take up roles, with 17 expected to receive start dates shortly, while a further 50 candidates are due to be interviewed.

He said: “There is proactive action being taken around recruitment into home support because we know the impact that has on hospital avoidance, people staying at home, and getting people out of hospital, both the acute hospital in Letterkenny and also our community nursing units across Donegal.”