Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to speak on the motion and I compliment Deputy Mary Butler and Fianna Fáil on tabling it. It is good that we are having a reasoned and calm debate on the issue. I hope the Government will not oppose the motion, given that we should all aspire to it. Everyone here knows people or has family members who are afflicted by this very serious illness, as Deputy Michael Harty said. The slowness and the difficulties in diagnosing it makes it very difficult for loved ones, children, relatives and siblings, and it is very challenging. We need more day centres and specific nursing homes to deal with this very troublesome and difficult diagnosis when it arrives and when it progresses.

Family carers must be supported and complimented. There has never been an audit of the monetary value of the savings to the HSE that result from the care which loved ones and families give in their homes. It is very difficult for ordinary people to understand why it is so difficult to get home care packages, extra home help hours and support for carers. No matter what the illness, family care at home is better for patients. They are healthier and happier and have peace of mind in the knowledge and comfort that they are cared for in their homes. I salute the carers.

I also salute some of the district hospitals, St. Patrick's in Cashel and St. Anthony's in Clonmel and the hospitals in Clogheen and Carrick-on-Suir which do tremendous work. They are small and efficient. There is no big bureaucracy. Very intimate caring and minding is delivered to the patients and there is great interaction with the families. The HSE is slow and unable to value and appreciate the efforts, time and energy spent by family members trying to care for people in these areas. I am tired of saying this; I am like a bad record. All they want is a little support and to be left alone to do it and not to be intruded on but supported. This is where the carers in their homes are invaluable. While the cost of it should not be in monetary terms, they save a lot of time and bed space in hospital wards. When a diagnosis is made and people know what it is, they do not need to be traumatised further by being brought here and there and moved to different settings. For people with dementia, it can be very troubling to be in strange surroundings.

We must all support and welcome the motion and welcome the debate to get a shift at senior managerial level in the HSE. Although the budget allocated extra money for home care packages, getting it delivered is like pulling teeth. It has to get down to the areas and be divvied up. The difficulty in getting applications in and getting the return is not acceptable. It is shameful that families have to go through such trouble and trauma when they are trying to do the caring as well. The applications should be simplified and made more user-friendly. I appeal to the Minister of State, as the one mark she will leave on the Department and the HSE, to try to get a bit of humanity into the applications and how they are dealt with, and to speed them up and reduce the form filling, red tape and unwillingness - despite that there are many people working hard in the HSE - to get through the hoops and measures. It must be tackled. I appeal to the Minister of State to do so. I support the motion.

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