Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I ask that consideration be given by the Business Committee within the week to a special debate on the home care issue. The Taoiseach's earlier replies seemed to indicate a lack of understanding as to what is going on when one drills into the figures. I instance the Tyco ruling of the European Court of Justice. According to the Taoiseach, the programme for Government allows a million extra hours. The Tyco ruling means that the time it takes for home help to get to a client's location is now factored in. The allocated funding has to take account of that. That was not provided for last year.

It is eating up much of the time. We need an honest and transparent debate to drill through the figures and issues relating to home help care to get a better understanding. A debate should be facilitated this week in the House for that purpose because Deputies are inundated with calls from all over the countryon the issue and the degree to which it is impacting on people. It takes a bit longer for that message to get through to the Government, but that is what is happening.

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