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

I could not agree with the Deputy's last line more. It is not about money alone. Money alone will not solve this problem. I have stated that on the record of this House. While I got an additional €52 million in this year's budget, if I got an additional €152 million, I could not wipe out the current waiting list.

While I do not intimately understand the Wexford situation and Deputy Browne will appreciate that I do not manage the services at a local level, the issues in Wexford that are making it particularly acute are the supply of labour in many areas and getting people to deliver the service. That is why we have the postcode lottery, which is less than satisfactory, and that is why we have committed funding. From a financial point of view, three or four years ago it was €300 million a year. Now it is €450 million a year. That is a 50% increase in funding. We could keep doing that, for instance, adding another €52 million onto it this year. We can keep putting €50 million on every year. That, in itself, will not do. What we need is a centralised system that makes sure that it is fair and equitable throughout the country. That is what the Deputies are saying loud and clear. It is irritating if one represents Wexford, as Deputy Browne does, where there is a waiting list of 700 and a neighbouring county has a waiting list that is not half or a quarter as severe.

There are 7,000 people waiting nationally. That is not acceptable. I am on the record as stating that I am embarrassed at that waiting list. That is why I have committed to developing a statutory scheme that will be underpinned in law, like the fair deal scheme, so that everybody who needs it will get it. We will have a single assessment tool so that everybody's level of need will be assessed in a fair way no matter whether one lives in Donegal, west Cork or anywhere in between. We will also have it fully funded and make sure that there is adequate funding there. I will test a pilot of that next year. This is not something we are talking about in the never-never.

Deputy Troy asked when the additional 1 million hours that are the result of this year's budget will come on stream. I acknowledge the contribution of the confidence and supply agreement to that budget and the input of the Fianna Fáil Party to ensuring that this area got funding. I thank the party's Deputies for that. That is appreciated. Certainly, it is helpful at my end. Those 1 million hours will come on stream on 1 January and will be allocated. As I stated, a part of that will be running a pilot of the new statutory scheme, which will be unveiled in January of next year - I will be telling people exactly how it will look - and it is to be hoped it will be brought in the following January.

I do not have figures for Deputy O'Loughlin on respite. That is a separate issue to home help. Respite is delivered through the community nursing units. It is managed locally by each individual community healthcare organisation, CHO. If Deputy O'Loughlin wants me to get particular figures on that for Kildare, she should by all means contact my office or send me an email.

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