Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The general principle outlined by Deputy Collins is important. It is the wish of the vast majority of people that they will be able to stay in their homes until such time as they have to become institutionalised. That is why there has been a move from institutional and hospital care to community care. That is why home care packages are so important and why the waiting list initiative and the fair deal scheme received substantial moneys in 2015, which resulted in a reduction in waiting list times from 18 to four or five weeks.

Deputy Michael Collins is correct in pointing out that the demographic pressures will increase in the future. In fact, the population is projected to increase by 4% between 2016 and 2021, with the number of people in the 85 plus age group expected to rise by 4% between 2015 and 2016 alone. As Deputy Collins is well aware, that cohort, or those much younger, can require extensive and expensive care. That is the reason it is important for us to focus on primary care centres, community facilities and home-care packages that allow people to stay in their own homes as long as possible.

Some time ago, Deputy Michael Healy-Rae made a point to me about the availability of Sunday care under home help and home care packages. That is an issue the Minister will consider in the context of the extra adjustment made to the health budget. I do not think anybody in the House would disagree with the concept of people being able to stay in their own place in their senior years for as long as is possible. Why would that not be the case? That is where the continued effort of Government will be. The approach must take into account the pragmatic understanding that the population of the country is ageing and that every year brings a new cohort of those aged over 70 - as I pointed out in the context of those aged over 80, the consequences of that can be expensive - but it is very important that the State provides the very best level of support to people in their homes for as long as that is possible. Advances in the treatment of chronic disease and expensive medical technologies can ease the discomfort of people and make it somewhat easier for them to stay at home for longer periods. That is where the focus of the Government must be for that cohort.

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