Cork second on homecare waiting list
Cork city has the second highest wait list for homecare in the country, with an average of 559 people waiting for home help in 2025.
Between 2021 and 2025, the average was 906 people on waiting lists for homecare.
The data was released by Home & Community Care Ireland (HCCI) as part of its 2026 pre-budget submission.
Cork city sat behind just Clare/Limerick County, which had an average waiting list of 651 people. Cork ranked slightly lower in the proportion of those on waiting lists compared to the general population.
In 2025, there were 11 people per 1,000 people over the age of 65 on waiting lists in Cork, compared to 19.8 in Clare/Limerick County. Also sitting above Cork were Donegal (12.3), Louth/Meath (12.2), and Cavan/Monaghan (12).
The data highlighted a major gap in waiting lists between Dublin and the rest of the country. Of the five Integrated Health Areas (IHA) and Health Regions which make up Dublin city and county, two – Dublin North City & West, and Dublin North County - had no waiting lists, while no Dublin area exceeded a waiting list of 200.
The average wait time was also much lower. For example, almost 50% of patients in Cork waited over six months for services, while in North Dublin, the average processing time was two to seven days.
In its submission, HCCI said that a national mileage scheme was necessary to support carers travelling longer distances between clients in rural areas.
It also said that while home care was one of the “major policy successes emerging from Sláintecare to date”, investment in the sector must continue to overcome staffing shortages and long wait times.
It called on the Government to establish a “home support waiting list taskforce” to implement measures to eliminate home care blackspots.
Joseph Musgrave, CEO of HCCI said: “The data confirms that where you live in Ireland determines how long you wait for home care. Record investment and record delivery in 2025 did not move the national waiting list, because the extra capacity did not go where it was needed most.
“The areas where independent providers provide the most care are performing best. If we want equality of access to home care, we need a mileage scheme that reflects the reality of rural care, sustained investment that keeps pace with our ageing population, and a taskforce with the authority to tackle blackspots directly,” he said.