Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The home help scheme has been of extraordinary benefit to thousands of people over the years, given the hours of care and attention given by the home help staff throughout the country. I agree with Deputy Fleming that elderly people, either living alone or in numbers in houses, prefer to be in their own place. Many can manage this with a little opportunity to have home help provided to them. In its decision before Christmas, the Government provided an extra €25 million for the fair deal scheme so people who have to go to nursing homes can do so without having to wait for a very long period. A further €75 million was allocated in recent weeks. A portion of that was for better home care packages, which would include home help service and care, depending on the complications or challenges people face.

The home help scheme is monitored and managed by individuals within each district. Many home help personnel, whom I meet regularly, will say they can adjust the hours for person X to suit him or her better.

As the Deputy pointed out, some people might require half an hour in the morning and others might require much longer. There is always a challenge with a population which is ageing to have adequate numbers of home help carers. This is part of the process of trying to normalise the health system so people can stay at home for as long as is possible before they may have to go to a nursing home for more full-time care and attention. I expect the home help managers in each district will look at the budget they have and the extent of personnel and how best to manage it in the interests of the patients. I am quite sure the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, will give the Deputy a more detailed response about any particular area, including his own.

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