Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The number of carers estimated by the Carers Association is 187,000, which I believe is a conservative figure. At least another 100,000 are indirectly engaged in caring in some capacity or another. That brings the figure up to almost 300,000 people engaged in caring. That is a huge resource that we cannot underestimate, and the cost-benefit savings to the State from that resource are enormous; it is worth millions of euro.

Allied to that is the people in the voluntary sector engaged in running day care centres who play an active role in that regard. That is essential for the provision of care to infirm and disabled people who can live in their own homes, among their families and communities, which is when they are happiest. It prevents them having to seek long-term care in residential homes, for instance. We need to prioritise many of these issues, which have been forgotten. There should be proper funding from the HSE and other Departments for day care centres.

There are not enough home help hours in the quota of hours allowed by the southern region. In my county, Kerry, thousands of letters have been sent to homes stating that home help hours are being drastically reduced in some cases, and it is wrong. I recently received a letter from the Taoiseach and the HSE stating that the same amount is available as in 2014. In response, I raised the matter earlier. It is not adequate or sufficient, given that extra people are coming on the list for home help. Although it is a wonderful service provided by great people, there is no point in providing half an hour in the morning and three quarters of an hour in the evening. The Government is providing smaller cuts of the cake. It needs to enlarge the cake, given that more people are coming on board. The answer I received, that the same funding is available as last year, is not good enough. It is not satisfactory. I ask the Tánaiste to go to the Cabinet, the Minister for Health and the HSE and seriously examine and address the matter.

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