Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will diverge slightly. Those opposite held a meeting on the winter readiness of the country's emergency departments, but I assume that one of the key aims is to ensure that people, in particular the elderly, do not end up in emergency departments in the first instance. Home care packages, home help hours and bolstering primary and community care services form a critical component in that regard.

In the past 30 years, we have consistently referred to primary and community care as the way forward in addressing the challenges facing us. For a long time, though, we have been lacklustre in ensuring that people have as much support at home as they need. I hope that the Minister of State can give a commitment to the House that a strong emphasis will be placed on home help hours, home care packages and primary and community services in next year's Estimates and the budgetary preparations.

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