Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to address the House this evening and I am happy to say that the Government is not opposing the motion.

Recent research undertaken in Ireland has shown that it is the preference of most older people to continue to live independently in their own homes and communities. That is confirmed by my experience of speaking to older people around the country and meeting with organisations which represent them. For that reason, I am strongly committed to ensuring that older people can continue to live in their own homes, surrounded by their family and friends, for as long as possible.

Home care services are central to achieving that objective. Such services help to reduce the level of inappropriate admission of older people to hospital and nursing homes as well as facilitating their timely discharge from hospitals. Although home care has traditionally been more associated with lower-level support than residential care, many older people with complex care needs are now being maintained at home. That shift increases demand for service provision that, because of our ageing population, will intensify in the decades to come.

The increasing life expectancy of our citizens not only bears testimony to our social and economic progress but also represents an opportunity. Older people make a huge contribution to their families and to our society and economy. As emphasised by the national positive ageing strategy, if we are to reap the benefits of that enormous demographic bounty, it is incumbent on us to enable people to age with confidence, security and dignity in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. That is my responsibility as Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for older people and it has the support of Members on all sides of the House.

The Health Service Executive has responsibility for planning, managing and delivering home care and other community-based services for older people. The HSE’s home care services are provided on the basis of assessed health care need and no personal contribution towards the cost is required. Contrary to what Deputy Danny Healy-Rae said, there is no proposal to means-test home help provision in its current form.

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