Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will resubmit my questions, Nos. 21 and 22, and break them down better, because the replies were of no help. Would Mr. O’Brien guide me with regard to whom I should send them to?

It is a pleasure to have the witnesses here, particularly the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch.

I thank the Minister of State for her honesty. She is always up front and does not beat around the bush. I left the room - I had to go upstairs for a while - but I have listened to what the Minister of State said about the fair deal scheme, which is in crisis. The unfortunate part about it is that it is the people who are in crisis as well, the families who are dealing with it on a daily basis with loved ones they cannot manage. I was interested to hear the Minister of State say that a new community was opening somewhere - I think it was Waterford. I hope it does not end up like Hollybrook in Inchicore. Two years down the road, it is still a step-down facility for St. James's Hospital, although it was supposed to be a new 50-bed unit for people who needed nursing home care. We are now left without extra beds. It is an awful shame, because there are many people living in the Dublin 8, 10 and 12 districts who were promised that a percentage of the beds would facilitate them, and this is still not the case. I hope that the unit the Minister of State is opening, wherever it is, does not end up the same way. I have one question, which the Minister of State might not be able to answer now. When will the Hollybrook care centre open up to the community again? When will it actually take people who are living in the community, rather than being a step-down facility for St. James's Hospital two years on?

I thank Mr. O'Brien for his report, which is always informative. It probably covers too much to get in at any particular time. Could Mr. O'Brien send us some information about the palliative care response for people who are dealing with very ill people at home? What exactly is the role of the palliative care staff who come in and visit them at home? What service do they actually provide? Is it just changing a drip? More information would be very helpful.