Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Micheál Martin made a fair point. We have a commitment in the programme for Government to increase funding for home care packages and home help hours this year and it is our intention to continue that in future budgets. The Deputy is correct that there is a need for a statutory scheme for the delivery of home care. Deputy O'Dea tabled a Bill on the issue a number of months ago. We now have a process in place. The HRB report published yesterday is the first step in that process, whereby we look at what other countries are doing in terms of putting such a scheme on a statutory basis. That will be followed by a consultation scheme, which will be launched in May by my colleague the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee. One would hope that the HRB report and the consultation scheme will pave the way for the introduction of such a scheme.

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