Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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No. Well, based on budget, but justified by what is called an international standardised way of assessing somebody for home help, which consists of two hours filling out a form on a computer. Magically, 99% qualify for only ten hours' home help, regardless of whether one has Parkinson's, another progressive disease or senile dementia at an early stage - say, in one's 60s. I could not sit here and not make this comment. I know this comes under the remit of the Committee on Health but it has to be said. We tinker around, and the Chairman is doing a great job and is right in asking about this and teasing it out, but there is a bigger problem with the pretence around home help. If the maximum number of hours for somebody with senile dementia is ten, that person is being put to bed in their home. I will not go into the details but I am raising this in a general way. The service is not being used appropriately. It would take the strain off the hospitals - we all know that. Most people do not even want to go near a hospital. If they got proper home help, it would be cheaper for us.