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

On the first question, about the home help service plan, the Deputy is aware it is being negotiated at the moment with the HSE. Last year, there was a provision for 17 million home help hours. We hope to see an improvement and an increase on that, but I cannot commit to that until the service plan is agreed.

Regarding the bigger picture and Deputy Healy Rae's question about a fair deal-type scheme for home care packages, public consultation has concluded, and my officials are now drafting a new scheme of home care. I said at the outset that it would probably take up to three years to bring this about. We are approximately halfway through that process at this stage. It should be borne in mind that the fair deal scheme took seven years to be finalised. I hope to do this within three years. We are making steady progress on that, and I am happy to keep the House and concerned Deputies updated.

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