Kate O'Connell (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I assume then that people are leaving the family caring sector and going into the HSE or is there a drag between both sectors because I know that Mr. Dunne spoke about labour shortages?

When it comes to the competency versus QQI level 5 that Mr. Dunne mentioned, what do carers have in other countries? Are they doing this HSE style competency or is it a QQI level 5?

I refer to under 65s. I have heard there is an issue with getting home care in the case of a degenerative neurological disorder for people under 65. I ask the witnesses to elaborate on their experiences of that. I am being told in the community that with rapidly progressing conditions, which are a surprise to many families who have never had to engage with family caring services or the HSE's services before, it can often take six to eight weeks of a family dealing with a devastating diagnosis combined with the patient having to deal with a diagnosis and having no experience in the provision of any sort of care because they have had no hassle up to this point before a home care package is approved. When someone has one of the really progressive neurological disorders, there is no coming out of it, the end is nigh, it is complex and it is terminal. I am hearing that this is causing undue annoyance and stress to families at a very difficult time and by the time the package is approved, the person could be 70% of the way through their condition and it leaves for a very difficult experience. Is that common? What sort of impact does this have on families in these cases?