Dr. Kara McGann:

Unfortunately, I do not have that answer but I certainly will revert back with that. It is not something we have looked at.

Deputy Matt Shanahan: Something like that would be helpful in terms of any submissions being made. Also, reference was made to statutory home supports and something similar to the fair deal. Has Dr. McGann any estimate as to the Exchequer costs as opposed to the health saving costs? If we want to propose something to the HSE it generally looks for a cost-saving to incentivise a change of activity. It does not want to add to the budget, therefore they ask for an explanation of how something will save money and then it can pay it. In terms of a statutory home support care scheme, the fair deal itself is struggling, family care is struggling and the care hours issue is a struggle. Where and how will we recruit these people? As others have already pointed out, what cost incentives are there to recruit people? That seems to be a big problem in terms of the actual cost per hour being paid to carers.