Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have raised this issue with the Minister of State and his colleague, the Minister of State with responsibility for disability, equality and mental health. This issue is of significant concern to me because I have seen the lack of standards, inspections and training in my constituency. This is not confined to the private sector because it might be easy to blame the private sector. We do not have minimum standards, inspection regimes and ongoing continuing professional development for people who are delivering an essential service and who represent the difference between a person taking up an acute bed in a hospital, which we do not have, or being maintained at home with their family knowing they will be adequately cared for. It is not as if we are not putting a lot of money into this. Hundreds of millions of euro are going into the private sector each year for the delivery of private home care packages for vulnerable adults and elderly people. I concur with the comments of the previous speaker. This legislation is needed as a matter of urgency before there is a "Prime Time" special on this issue. To be honest, I am shocked it has not been done up to now.

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