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

I was not aware of the Deputy's past connection with this industry. I thank him for sharing that and I appreciate his insights.

We have commissioned a major review of the current home help service with a view to nailing down and identifying flaws in areas such as operations, funding, delivery of service and geographical disparity so as to inform the new scheme. Much of that information will be used in the design of a new scheme.

What I mean by "statutory level" is akin to the fair deal scheme at the moment. Anybody who needs to go into a nursing home and is assessed as needing that level of care can apply to the fair deal scheme and will get it, irrespective of how many people apply for it that year. The same would apply for home help. If one was independently assessed as needing eight hours of home help, the State will guarantee the availability, provision and funding of those eight hours. That is the broad outline but details about services, those delivering it and regulation will obviously have to be teased out along the way.

Whether there will be an element of co-payment will not be my decision although I have a view, to which I am entitled, and I have shared it. I am not one who is known for standing behind doors when it comes to letting my views be known although they are not always right.

The work we commissioned this year to extensively review the current scheme - good and bad - will inform much of that.

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