Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group) | Oireachtas source

I will brief. I thank the organisations for their submissions. I endorse the submissions of the Irish Heart Foundation and Irish Cancer Society.

I agree with the idea of an annual price escalator. To some extent, the banning of smoking in public places a number of years ago led to us sitting on our laurels and we must focus on the presentations as a result.

I have a question for the other three organisations. I agree with the comments of previous speakers but the key question raised by all the organisations relates to quality of life for the people they represent. That quality of life relates to home and community-based services and the fact there is no statutory basis for the services. Will the representatives of the organisations deal with that? I agree that this committee can spearhead the provision of a statutory basis for these services but will the witnesses comment on that aspect? It is key to an acceptable quality of life for people.