Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Under the programme for Government, there are four clear commitments to the elderly. The programme states:

Care of Older People and Community Care

Investment in the supply of more and better care for older people in the community and in residential settings will be a priority of this Government.

Additional funding will be provided each year for the care of older people.

This funding will go to more residential places, more home care packages and the delivery of more home help and other professional community care services.

The Fair Deal system of financing nursing home care will be reviewed [in order to create additional supports to enable] people to stay in their own homes.

Will the Minister outline when those commitments will be followed-up and fulfilled? Instead of additional funding for home helps, there have been 1 million home help hours cut. There has been less funding for residential places and fewer home care packages. The fair deal is being reviewed, but only with a view to increasing the charge on estates, from 15% to 22.5%. As Age Action Ireland stated, that is a clear attempt by the Government to take more value from the estates of older persons and it will hit their families harder. Also, the contribution on the nursing home support scheme is increasing, from 5% to 7.5%.

When will the Health (Amendment) Bill, which encompasses those two changes, come to this House? Will the Minister indicate if the Government is prepared to row back on the provisions of the Bill and fulfil the commitments outlined in the programme for Government on the care of older people and community care? Will he indicate when the integrated care agency will be established by the Minister for Health?

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