Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Tuesday, 24 October 2023
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health
Consideration and Implications of 2024 Health Services Funding: Discussion
Mr. Bernard Gloster:
It is, but that has been the case traditionally. That is the age profile of home help and home care providers. In the modern era, I would not be too worried about a workforce aged between 55 and 60 years. I take the Deputy's overall point about the overall dependency. I am certainly happy to take that point in the round. Our target for this year, and the Government, in fairness, was receptive when we asked, was to improve substantially the rate available. That was a major issue in attracting and retaining. We have done that. Let us now see what numbers of staff we can recruit and retain directly and through the providers.