Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)

I encountered someone who has been battling for the past three months to get two hours of home help per week, not per day, after coming out of hospital. She received a letter stating she could have home help only for the first three weeks after leaving hospital. It was not that they would reassess it, but that it would end and she would have no help. This woman is in her 80s and it has been deemed that she can manage without home help.

We are all aware that home help is not just about providing the necessary service, it is about providing company and a little support — the friendly, happy face who visits. That is good for one's mental health. Even if a person is in good physical condition, he or she needs somebody to visit and say hello. The Minister should recognise that in the provision of home help. She needs to increase the home help hours available to people, especially those who are entitled to one hour a day but would be able to manage if they got three.

Apart from the social aspect, significant economies of scale are possible if we support people so they can remain in their homes, such as home help hours or different care packages. Elderly people want to stay in their homes but there is a gap in the services provided to them. More nurses in the community and a greater availability of carers would make a significant difference. The current system of means tests for carers and the assessment of people who want to take time off work to help look after their loved ones must be examined. The current situation is inadequate. People who take time off work to provide a caring service at home should receive an income to help towards paying the bills. Currently, they get nothing as people are penalised for the income of other family members. We should look at the overall family budget in terms of income and expenditure. It is insufficient to say one wage provides enough money and nothing extra will be provided. The means test should be abolished, which will not happen under the Government. However, we should at least examine the system and make it more flexible in terms of assisting people to stay at home.

Disabled person's grants, DPGs, and emergency repair grants, ERGs, are provided to people to make their homes suitable for a person with either an infirmity or a disability. The rate at which it is paid is outdated. As we are all aware, construction costs have increased at 11% per year for the past seven or eight years.

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