Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There will be no disagreement on this side of the House with the Deputy's analysis. The population of the country is changing; it is not just increasing. There will be 20,000 more people over the age of 65 years this year compared to last year and there will be 3,500 more over the age of 80. That trend is likely to continue into the future and will place significant demands on the health service for which we need to plan. The Deputy is correct that the home care system has largely developed with geographical inconsistencies and in anad hoc way. It is not underpinned by statute, unlike the nursing home support scheme which has a budget of almost €1 billion a year. We need to have a serious conversation about older people seeking assistance to enable them to grow old with dignity. Should we have a statutory scheme that provides people with nursing home care if that is what they require or want but which can also veer in a different way if they wish to remain in their home and have the comfort and safety of knowing that they can avail of a consistent and sustainable model of care? That is where we want to get to as a Government and where the Deputy's party also wants to get to based on what I have heard. We will shortly launch proposals for public consultation in that regard.

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