Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

During my contribution to my first Leaders' Questions with then Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, in March 2016, I spoke of the major shortfalls in our home help service. In spite of promises made by the Taoiseach at that time, nothing has really happened. During negotiations on the programme for Government, in which I was very much involved, discussions took place about providing a seven-day-a-week service. At that time we were promised that this would be provided but the only thing our elderly people can be assured of today is that many of them will receive no service seven days a week. Why is it that this Government will no longer take on new patients? We have to get a very clear answer because we have been advised by this Government all along that patients should be cared for at home. It is now turning its back on people and does not want to bring them home. Why has the HSE instructed district nurses to cut existing hours? Are the allocations of those who receive 20 or 30 minutes going to be cut to five, ten or 15 minutes?

I ask the Minister of State to stop mocking the people who roll out the service and work on the ground. He continuously says that we cannot get people. Has he talked to anyone who provides home help in west Cork? They are crying out for more hours. It is like he is mocking them. They are absolutely furious with him for saying that. I will step back from that as maybe people cannot be got in some other county, but it is certainly not an issue in west Cork. The people rolling out this excellent service are crying out for more hours but the HSE and the Minister of State's Government will not give them.

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