Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As part of the Covid measures that have been taken, 2.6 million additional home care hours have been allocated. That is to do exactly as the Deputy said. We have to do everything we can to keep patients, particularly those more vulnerable to Covid-19, out of hospitals. As the Deputy said, one of the most important ways of doing that is to provide adequate home care hours. An additional 2.6 million additional home care hours have been deployed and sanctioned. In the winter plan, we will look at a considerable additional number and bulking up the multidisciplinary teams required to support people living at home.

We have to do everything we can this winter to make it unnecessary for people to go into hospital and what we are doing is providing as much home care as possible. We are also looking at putting in place community hubs so that people with respiratory issues - perhaps people who get the flu - can be treated as they need to be treated, but not in the acute setting this winter.

In response to the Deputy's direct question on the fair deal scheme, it is something I absolutely want to see. The current situation does not make sense whereby if one is well enough to stay at home, the State will not provide the supports required but if one goes into a nursing home, the supports will be provided.