Mr.Michael Harty:

There is no doubt that it is an issue. We encounter people on a daily basis who are in need of care. They might be in hospital and need to be discharged. What is happening is that they are being encouraged to apply for the fair deal scheme and, as an afterthought, perhaps for a home care package.

In fact, one of my members told me a story recently about a 90 year old aunt of theirs in Wexford. She had lived by herself for many years but had to go into hospital for an operation and was encouraged to apply for the fair deal scheme. She said that she preferred to continue living at home and that she wanted to apply for the home care package scheme. None the less, she was granted access to the fair deal scheme at a cost of some €1,000 a week to the State whereas her first preference was home care, three or four hours a day, which would have cost €200 to €250 per week. That lady is at present in residential care.

We have to be cognisant of the fact we are still living in difficult economic times and we have to spend our money more wisely. One of the best ways of spending money wisely is by promoting client choice. Who better to decide how money should be spent than the patients themselves?