Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The home help crisis is hitting the most vulnerable the hardest. After listening to the Minister of State, I do not believe that we are on the same page. However, I acknowledge his statement that the Government fully accepts that the service needs to be improved further to meet the changing needs of our citizens better.

It is cruel that so many people are waiting for home help hours to be allocated. The latest figures from the HSE reveal that 6,310 people were on waiting lists for home help services at the end of April. Currently, 53,000 people receive home care supports, but the figures show that one in ten people who need such supports are still waiting for them. Some of these people have very serious issues. In recent years, the number of people waiting for home help hours has increased significantly. Despite this, resources have failed to meet demand, leaving some services losing hours.

The recently announced restriction on new applications for home help services is appalling. This regressive decision will have many knock-on negative consequences for families, carers and the wider health services. The Government is saying on the one hand that it will facilitate people in growing old in their own homes while, on the other, it is restricting the means to do so. Will the Minister of State clarify the reason for the restrictions? Why will no new packages be sanctioned until November? Will home care packages be recycled in the interim? I am led to believe that new contracts have been signed with home support workers. This means that they are now entitled to four hours of travel for every 39 hours worked. Is this the reason for these savage cuts? Must that money be found from the same pot? That is what I am being told. The Minister of State must clarify how many people will be affected by the proposed cuts, given that any reduction in hours will undoubtedly push an already stretched service to the brink.

Will the Minister of State also explain why some CHOs have no one waiting while other areas are performing badly? If no one is waiting in a certain area, why do other areas not reflect that model? Is this a case of bad management or a lack of funding? Is it simply that a person is receiving one hour of a service when he or she actually requires seven and is classified as having his or her care needs met? We need to tease out this crucial point.

It is important to remember that we are an ageing nation and we should celebrate the fact that we are living longer, can spend more time with our families and friends, contribute to society in our retirement years and get involved in our communities. The warning signs are present, though, and we are not heeding them. We are not planning for the fact that, over the next 30 years, the number of people in Ireland over the age of 65 years will double and the number over the age of 85 years will quadruple. People want to live at home for as long as possible with the correct wrap-around supports. Home care support packages enable them to do that. For some older people, the assistant might be the only person they see all day.

Despite the increase in life expectancy, the incidence of chronic illness is on the rise. As such, people will have to be cared for in their own homes if we are to relieve the pressure on the acute hospital network. Real progress in meeting the challenge of home care must be made. It is the preferred option for older people. It is well acknowledged that care based around the home is vital for keeping people active in their own communities, which in turn has significant health benefits.

Families across the country are angry. They are frustrated by Fine Gael's approach to home help. Instead of allowing people to live and be cared for in their own homes, Fine Gael is forcing them into nursing homes and hospitals. This, in turn, is increasing the strain on our hospital system, which is already overburdened. I have met many family members who are at the end of their tether. They are deeply concerned that their loved ones will not get the care they need. This deeply distressing situation for them simply should not be happening. Home help services are essential. They must be maintained and increased. Any move to reduce home help hours further cannot be countenanced. Measures must be taken to ensure home helps are protected into the future. This is a crisis. Last year, 50,500 people received support and 6,000 people were waiting. This year, 53,000 people are receiving support and 6,310 people are waiting. The figures simply do not stack up. The increase in hours this year is not having an impact on those who are waiting. Many people in acute hospital beds are waiting to be discharged. Many people in nursing homes do not need to be there. Many people in their own homes are not receiving the care they require. The situation is at crisis point. I do not say that lightly. Family carers are at breaking point.

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