Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses and thank them for their presentations. I would like to ask about the extent to which the HSE can become involved in ensuring there is a supply of trained personnel for caring purposes. The public and private sectors both provide the service in different formats. To what extent have comparisons been made between the efficiency, effectiveness and quality of service from both sectors? To what extent is this monitored?

I ask the witnesses to comment on the merging of the budgets for the nursing home and home care sectors. I assume that will cover the administration of both private and public home care providers.

Is any vetting done to assess the suitability of people who come into the caring sector? A nurse or a former nurse will be trained and will have a vocational commitment. What efforts are being made to assess people who are coming into the public and private sides of the caring sector for the first time? I ask that question because I want to ascertain how much job satisfaction is going with the job. If the person who is providing the service is satisfied with his or her job conditions, he or she will be in a better position to provide a satisfactory service.

I have asked about costs, efficiency, effectiveness and quality. I also want to know about the comparisons that have been made and about any matters that become obvious in the course of service provision. Where do the majority of staff come from now? Where does the HSE get its home care staff? From what walks of life do they come? I am aware that people of different nationalities are available and helpful.

A valid point was made about social welfare. There should be a meeting of minds. Those who hold responsibilities in both of these areas should certainly meet to ascertain the extent to which the provision of this service can be dovetailed with the maximisation of the availability of people who are on part-time social welfare. This can be done effectively, efficiently and without overlapping.

It is important for the regulations that apply to the public and private sectors to be equal. The same standards must apply to the quality of the people providing these services as well. There much be some consistency in remuneration. If we expect the job to be done by one group on the cheap, and in a different way by another group, we will create discontent. If people feel aggrieved in the workplace in the course of their work, they will not provide the service we desire.

My final question relates to the degree to which the provision of public and private services is affecting the demand for places in private and public nursing homes or public hospitals that cater for people in this age group. To what extent has it been noticed that this is happening?