Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In speaking on this motion, it is most important to highlight the fact that our goal is for people, where possible, to grow old in their own homes, surrounded by their families, neighbours and friends in an area in which they have generally lived for most of their lives. The benefits of this are obvious. There is the quality of life benefits for the older person and also the quality of life benefits for their family and those around them.

Within my extended circle of friends, families and constituents I see situations where the son and his wife or the daughter and her husband are working during the day but trying to be around to help their parents as much as possible. They give up a huge amount of their free time to help and support them. They just need a little extra support to help their parents in that situation to remain living at home. The State has a crucial role to play in ensuring that nobody goes into long-term care unless they really need to or want it. In the past, that has not always been the case. The issue is how we ensure that model is rolled out into the future.

The fair deal was mentioned earlier. There should be a revised fair deal model to provide for the possibility of a funding mechanism for people to have a home care package. I have encountered cases in the past where people, if they had access to long-term care, were able to use the fair deal. Such a mechanism was more difficult for home care. I must stress that any mechanism in that situation would have to be cognisant of how much cheaper it is to provide the services in the home. If somebody is in their home rather than a nursing home, they will need physiotherapy, home help, the services of the district nurse and whatever else is required. However, there is no cost of heating, electricity and so forth in a nursing home, while the cost of bed and board is borne by the person who remains in their home. It is a completely different funding model, with a much smaller contribution. Nonetheless, a model that assists that outcome is very important and should be rolled out. I would support it in the right circumstances and with the right conditions.

During my time as a councillor in Kildare County Council and as a Member of this House I have seen the massive benefit of housing adaptation grants for older people and people with disabilities. They play an integral part in an overall strategy of enabling older people to remain in their homes. Those grants are currently suspended by Kildare County Council, as is the case with other local authorities. I have lobbied the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, heavily on this issue and I urge the Minister of State who is present, Deputy Alex White, to look at the current model, given the financial difficulties of our local authorities. They are struggling to meet the 20% contribution. I implore the Minister to convey to his colleagues the necessity to reduce that contribution from 20% to 10%. In the case of my local authority, if that cut was made to the local authority contribution, it would get those grants moving again.

Over and beyond the positive impact that has in enabling people to remain in their homes, it also has a positive impact on the local economy, with local tradesmen getting that work. The money feeds right in. With reform of local government and a property tax being collected locally to pay for local services, local authorities will be able to prioritise expenditure. The current model, however, must be examined to enable local authorities to do what they can.

I welcome the national carers strategy that seeks to prioritise funding for accessible living environments, and this is in line with that. The positive ageing strategy was run on a trial basis in Louth and then was rolled out in Kildare. The positive experience we have had with that in Kildare will be relayed to the Minister. He is to bring a draft plan to Cabinet before the end of the year on the rolling out of that scheme nationally.

We need a strategic and co-ordinated approach on the well-being of older people. I recognise that people who are now retired and in need of care are the same people who were working and raising families in the early 1980s when Charlie Haughey told them to tighten their belts. Having made all the sacrifices back then, they are now in the autumn of their years and it is vital we give them the care and respect they are due. I am delighted this Government is doing that with €320 million being invested in home care packages.

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