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

I thank the Deputy. I agree with him, as do we all, that building a system which is fit for purpose and which supports people to live longer and better lives in their own homes will save a lot of money in comparison with a system in which they have to be cared for in residential settings. The difficulty at the moment, which I have mentioned on the floor here before, is twofold. It is not a matter of finance, to a point, because €420 million is being spent on home help and 17 million hours are being delivered this year. If one looks at the increase over recent years, the amount we are giving has increased exponentially but we cannot keep up with demand. We also cannot supply the number of home help staff that are required. That is another issue. As Minister of State I have two choices. I can tinker around the edges and try to patch the system that is there, or I can bring in a complete new system that is fit for purpose and which addresses the issues which the Deputy is talking about, including weekend cover and ensuring sufficient staff for the demand. That is what I intend to do. That is pretty well in progress in my Department.

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