Dr. Kara McGann:

In regard to the fair deal piece, we do not have the exact figures. Again, I can come back with those. We are seeing people who cannot get access to homecare, finding themselves in nursing home care sooner than they would like or is actually necessary. The cost involved in that type of care versus homecare, is multiples of multiples. In terms of savings, if we had the homecare sector up and running and that fair deal approach within the homecare sector, the savings certainly would appear to be there in comparison with early entrance into nursing homes.

In regard to the sector itself and attracting workers into it, we have heard it described as a three-legged stool in terms of regulating the sector so that it is professional, because not anybody can do it. It should be recognised as a skill and as something very valuable. There needs to be a career path and career development that acknowledges, in many cases, carers who are providing very specialist care maybe to clients with dementia and complex needs. There should be a recognition of that. That could potentially be where we could look at different pay rates or different structures. How it is funded is obviously key but also how we look at developing, on the job, not just off the job.

The apprenticeships in Ireland do not start until level 6, while to work in care, you need two level 5 QQIs, so that is on-the-job learning. For someone who is coming back into care work after not being in the workforce for a period or who is trying to juggle that, it can be quite daunting whereas if such people are on the learning on the job, they are getting that exposure and that support in the role. It is more likely that somebody would be retained in that space, particularly-----