Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister, Mr. O'Brien and his officials.

I will concentrate on an issue in the introduction to Mr. O'Brien's speech, in which he states:

The population over 65 years is growing by approximately 20,000 per year and those over 80 years by 4% annually. Due to reduced budgets over the past number of years, the development of the required capacity within our community services to deliver home helps, home care packages, short stay and long stay residential care has not kept pace with this demographic growth.

With this growing population, if we kept the budget as it is, we would run into difficulties. It is illogical even to contemplate a budget cut in this area. Given that there are 20,000 more people over the age of 65 per year, how can we sustain the fair deal scheme? Has Mr. O'Brien considered the future of it and thought about replacing it with something else or how it will be managed?