Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thought there might still be some on some island communities that I have missed. There should be access and services should be provided in that respect. We will examine the home care package question. We have tried out for the past 12 months the idea of home support service hours. For example, last year there were 2.75 million home support hours. Instead of people going into respite care in those cases, the services came to the person's house. I mentioned to Senator Dolan and DFI recently the provision of personal assistant services. Last year that came to 1.5 million or 1.6 million hours. If we can increase those hours, we could provide support, particularly for young people with a disability. I do not wish to discriminate but it is particularly sad to see a young person in their 20s or 30s in a nursing home environment. The members do not have to convince me about such people as I know them, have met them and I spoke to some recently. Whatever about a senior citizen or elderly person being in a nursing home, such people are at least with their peer group. Part of the solution will be more personal assistant and home support hours. The issues of services for people of all ages will be considered in developing the new home care scheme.

We spoke earlier about funding and the mindset in Irish society. My job is to push for funding and to change the mindsets both within and outside government to ensure every person with a disability is treated with respect and dignity. I set out with three clear objectives when I took over as Minister of State. The first was to reform services, and we have started doing that. The second was to invest in services, and we have started that as well. Third and most important, is the facet fitting into the comments from Deputy O'Keeffe and Senator Dolan, which is putting the person with the disability at the centre of our services.