Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

It is important that we continue to stress to the Government the need to fund the home help service, in so far as resources will allow. I am on the board of Tallaght Welfare Society, now trustus, in Tallaght so I am aware of the huge challenges facing that service. All Members can make the same point. We speak about keeping people out of hospital or getting them out of hospital as quickly as possible and creating a situation in which they do not end up in nursing home care, although I have no problem with nursing homes where they are necessary. We should try to keep people in their own homes in so far as possible and a dedicated home help service is essential in that regard. I have had much experience in recent years with the provision of such services. We must continue to fund them in a meaningful way.

I also wish to comment briefly about the composition of the board provided for in the Bill. I note that the non-nursing and non-midwifery members of the board will be appointed from a variety of areas. The Medical Council, the Health and Social Care Professionals Council and the Health Information and Quality Authority will each nominate a member and the Health Service Executive will nominate two members. A member will be appointed from the voluntary sector, the Minister for Education and Skills will nominate a member from a third level establishment and five members of the board, who are not in a nurse or midwife role and who have such qualifications, expertise, interest or experience that in the opinion of the Minister would enable them to make a contribution to the performance of the board's functions, will be appointed.

One hears differing views about the composition of boards. Deputy Pat Breen spoke about the appointment of nominees. The time will come - I do not know how soon that will be - when his party will have the opportunity to make such appointments.

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