Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As Minister of State with responsibility for older people, my focus this year, particularly in this budget, has been on increasing the number of home-help hours and home-care packages with increased funding. Obviously, the nursing homes support scheme and maintaining that funding have been priorities but I am acutely aware that keeping people in their homes and maintain people within the community requires an across-the-board approach. The national positive ageing strategy - of which my Department is in charge - will progress into the next stages, which I hope will involve support from all Departments, including the Departments of Finance, Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and Transport, Tourism and Sport, in respect of a range of areas that will make every environment more suitable for older people to remain within their communities, not just within their homes. As home help comes under my Department, it needs to remain a priority and we must continue to increase investment in those areas. As I said, community will be our main priority.

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