David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We are not even at a stage of a Bill being developed to deliver a statutory home care scheme or a statutory entitlement. The essence and core of the commitment given in the programme for Government was a statutory right to access care. Many of us supported Sláintecare and the right care in the right place at the right time. One of the core tenets of that was to deliver a statutory home care scheme. It was in the programme for Government. We are four years in. Ms Larthwell cannot account for the Government. That is its role, but she is before us as a Department official to discuss what she described as a stepping stone to it. In reality, it is not, because it licenses and regulates the sector but it does not deal with the core of what the programme for Government was to deliver for citizens, namely, a statutory right to access home care. I would like a bit more detail about the preparatory work. What does that mean?