Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

All of us are agreed on the necessity of home care packages, not only their social necessity but also their economic common sense. That is not a matter of controversy. The report is very clear and the figures are not wrong. The 1.5 million hours cut from the system have not been fully replaced and there is a 16% deficit in the hours required. The report also proposes how that might be funded, saying that somewhere north of an additional €100 million must be dedicated to the service. Will the Taoiseach do that? I am sure he is familiar with this through his constituency work. I have constituents who have a home care package that amounts to half an hour per day. This is for people who are sick or have serious disabilities. One would barely have one's coat off and the kettle switched on in half an hour. It is a derisory allocation.

The system has been starved of resources and the past damage has been done. Now, the repair work must start. Rather than make vague assertions, will the Taoiseach dedicate the resources necessary to meet and close that 16% gap in service provision?

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