Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)

I thank Members for their contributions to this informative debate. It is obvious that Members are in touch with older people and the various organisations representing them and are aware of their needs.

Many contributions mentioned the issue of home help. There have been some difficulties with regard to the qualifying criteria for home help. Moreover, in some cases people may have felt that the hours they received did not match what was required. This year, the Government will provide an additional €30 million for home help which will facilitate the provision of 1.75 million extra home help hours. This has been put in place and should have a significant and positive impact.

The Government acknowledges that it must continue to develop services to meet growing need and that it cannot be complacent in this respect. Its budget investment has demonstrated its commitment to the wishes expressed by older people, by focusing on community care, to which almost three quarters of the additional funding from this year's budget has been allocated.

Earlier, I outlined the additional €150 million which was allocated in the budget and the different areas in which it will be spent, which include home care, support packages, home help, daily respite care, meals on wheels, sheltered housing, elder abuse, nursing home subvention and delayed discharges. I also outlined the legislation which will be brought forward to give some indication as to the priority which older people receive.

While I am proud of this investment and the priority the Government has assigned to it, I do not state that all is well. I am as aware as Opposition Members of the shortcomings and gaps in the services as well as the need for new services in some respects. Some criticism was levelled at the subvention. I appreciate Members' concerns and acknowledge the need to streamline and clarify the scheme and to have greater uniformity in the manner in which it is administered. However, I hope that the budget increase of €150 million will signal the start of a new era in which older people and services to older people will receive greater priority and that Members can work together to eliminate ageism and to promote a much more positive attitude towards aging. It is also vital that people's entitlements to services be clarified and that people have greater access to those services when they qualify for them.

I again thank Members for their contributions. Their compliments and criticisms were appreciated. There is room for improvements in a number of areas and the Government will work to make them.

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