Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for outlining the situation and informing us of the consultation process, but his response did not answer my question on the Government's plans to expand the scheme via public operators as opposed to the private sector. Everyone has had experience at some level, be it through family or friends, of someone who has had a stroke or suffered from dementia going into hospital only to return home with all of the problems that go with that. It is difficult to obtain the support and home help hours that are required.

Back when people in my community were much younger, many of my neighbours got extra hours of work providing home help. They got a few bob from the health board to help someone have a shower, clean up, get the pension, buy food, etc. This and the previous Government have cut 1.5 million hours from that system and driven everything towards the private operators. That is why, when I turn on the radio, I hear ads about how wonderful Home Instead Senior Care is; it is all being privatised.

The proliferation of advertisements relating to the treatment of our old people and those suffering from strokes and dementia is shocking. It is something we pay for through the public purse. We would not do it to cancer patients. There are advertisements for VHI and BUPA but we do not have advertisements on television telling people to come to us if they suffer from cancer and that we care about the victims of that disease. The State is giving up on the people who need to be kept at home. Their distress is palpable because they are either being left waiting in hospital for home care or are at home not getting adequate care.

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