Debate resumed on amendment No. 2:To delete all words after “Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following:"acknowledges:— the Health Service Executive (HSE) community based supports currently in place for older people, including vulnerable older people; and — the imperative to maximise service delivery in all relevant respects in line with current or expected overall resource availability; recognises the significant existing investment of, for example, in the region of €320 million this year for home help and home care packages and overall for the wide range of HSE health and personal social services generally, including mainstream home help, enhanced home care packages, meals-on-wheels and day or respite care, which meet the preferred wishes of many vulnerable older people and help reduce pressures elsewhere in the wider health system; notes the complex and multi-disciplinary nature of such services, including the partnership by the HSE with non-statutory agencies to complement its overall funded provision; welcomes progress by the Government so far, to consolidate and improve the planning and delivery of such services, including maximising the use of limited resources while promoting quality, safety and equity for both providers and care recipients alike; acknowledges various quality related initiatives led by the HSE, including developing new guidelines and a new procurement framework for its home care services; welcomes the recent publication by this Government of the National Carers’ Strategy, which reinforces the Government’s recognition of, and commitment to, all those caring in whatever capacity for vulnerable people; welcomes progress by the Government to advance the long awaited National Positive Ageing Strategy, now being finalised, to enhance a more strategic and co-ordinated approach to the well-being of older people and the intention of the Minister for Health to bring a draft of the completed Strategy to Cabinet before the end of the year; acknowledges that it is best practice to keep home help and other services for older people under review, so that such assistance is in keeping with their individual requirements, as assessed by the local health team, which may increase as well as diminish; and commits to keeping the position in relation to home help and home care packages under review for the remainder of the year, and that anyone who has been assessed as needing a service will have that service provided."- (Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Kathleen Lynch).

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