Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Home supports, home help packages and home help hours are some of the most vital services provided by the State. This was evident to me as someone who represented home help workers a number of years ago when the Fianna Fáil-led Government brought in the moratorium on recruitment. As bad as things were, home help workers were exempted because it was a good value for money service. There were other issues in terms of the hourly pay, but it provides great value for money. In truth we should be making sure that the provision keeps step with the age and demographic profile of the population, and the fact is that neither the Minister for Health nor the Fine Gael-led Government have provided the financial and human resources necessary to do that.

The percentage of our population over 65 years of age and over 85 years of age is increasing every single day. This is really good news, and is also entirely predictable from Central Statistics Office, CSO, data. Every single time we raise this issue, either here on the floor of the House or via parliamentary question, we are told that the population is aging and that there is an increase in demand for services. This is completely predictable, yet the Government acts surprised. People aging and requiring home support is not the reason for waiting lists. Waiting lists are caused by poor planning. To date, the planning for this has been absolutely atrocious. In 2016 there were 4,481 people waiting for home help. Today, that number has increased to 6,287. What kind of planning does that represent? We knew there was going to be an increase in demand. Some counties have been totally abandoned. Some 674 people are waiting in Galway, 623 in north Dublin and 578 in Wexford. The situation is a serious cause for concern, because these waits for care contribute to an increase in instances of illness.

Getting older or having a disability should not leave a person invisible in this State. The supports should be in place. I represented home helps, but we also spoke to the people who were availing of home help services. Those people do not want services on the cheap. They want to know that the person coming into their home has a decent job, decent pay and decent terms and conditions. As I said at the outset, home helps provide a fantastic value for money service. I commend the Fianna Fáil Deputies for bringing forward this Private Member's motion and I am delighted that Sinn Féin is supporting it.

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