Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I cannot dispute what the Deputy is saying.

Although there have not been cuts affecting home care or home help packages in the past couple of years and despite a small increase benefiting home care packages, our difficulty is that we have an ageing population that is getting bigger all the time. Our objective is to allow people to stay at home for as long as possible. This is not only their desire and in their interests, but it is also less expensive than residential care. I am conscious of this and will specifically ask my officials and the HSE for a note on what is happening in Ballyfermot and Inchicore to determine whether the problem is particularly bad there by comparison with other areas. I will undertake to examine the position.

I take the Deputy's point on some of the private providers not providing for continuity of care and sending different staff every day, which is not desirable. Irrespective of whether the recipient is old or young, it is best for him or her to see the same staff all the time. We could potentially write into future contracts a requirement that changes not happen all the time. It may be necessary sometimes, however, if staff are sick, for example.

Thanks to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, an additional €44 million was provided for the fair deal scheme this year. This has reduced the waiting time to four weeks from 11 or 12 last year. Notwithstanding this, in certain parts of the country, including parts of Dublin, the south east and the north east, there is a shortage of nursing homes. As with the housing crisis, there were years in which there was no private or public investment. That is now changing and quite a few nursing homes are under construction or in the planning process. They are very much needed. It is only when they open that people will start to see a freeing up. In Dublin and the north east, in particular, there is a shortage of nursing home spaces, but there is to be a supply.

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