Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I very much agree that home care resources and provision for home care need to be increased. We need to ensure patients in hospital can get home quicker, thus freeing up beds in hospitals. We also need to ensure that those in receipt of home care are less likely to deteriorate and become unwell. It makes sense on so many different levels to provide more home care.

The budget and the 2018 service plan of the HSE provide an additional €37 million across the State for home care. That will provide an extra 750,000 home care hours this year by comparison with last year. That is a very significant increase.

On the question as to whether there should be a statutory scheme, there is public consultation under way. Some 2,600 submissions have been received. We need to study them. We are actively considering the matter. The fair deal scheme was heavily criticised at the time it was introduced, but most people now accept it works reasonably well and assures people that if they need a nursing home space, they can get it within four or five weeks, although they have to make a contribution. What is being considered for home care is similar: a fair deal for home care, giving people the guarantee they will get the home care they need within weeks, even if it means having to pay a contribution if it can be afforded. If that were introduced on a statutory basis, as the Deputy mentioned, it would become a legal right and something that I believe can be delivered on. As I said, there is public consultation under way and we must study the 2,000 submissions and make a decision afterwards.

As the Deputy will know, plans and funding for a 40 bed modular unit in Clonmel have been approved. The project is now under way. We anticipate that the extra 40 beds for Clonmel will be in place this year and before next winter. As the Deputy knows, sometimes additional capacity works and sometimes it does not so it is important that the hospital prepares for the additional 40 beds and ensures it changes and aligns its practices and procedures to ensure the 40 beds improve conditions for patients.

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