Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I, too, sympathise with all those who have lost family members over the past three or four weeks, for whatever reason. It has been a very difficult time for them because nobody can assist them, grieve with them or go to funerals. I knew a 91 year old man who, when he knew he was dying, said to his son, "Goddamit, there will be no neighbour or anyone coming to the funeral." The son is bothered to this day about it because his father was a grand man. It is hurting many people and families that nobody can help them to grieve or start the grieving process as was the tradition in Kerry and all around the country, where neighbours went to help families grieve and survive. I sympathise will all of those.

I thank all the front-line staff, the nurses, doctors, kitchen staff and cleaners who are vital in all our healthcare facilities, whether in hospitals such as Tralee General Hospital or Killarney or Kenmare district hospitals, or nursing homes around our county. All those involved deserve any accolade we can give them.

We will ensure we will fight for whatever PPE they need to keep our health services going.

I join Deputy Michael Healy-Rae in raising the home help service. Those Deputies who were in the last Dáil will recall that day after day, I raised the need for home help services to enable people to stay in their homes for as long as possible. I assure the Minister that anyone in County Kerry who receives home help had to fight to get it. It is not the case that some of those who get this help should not be getting it. They are entitled to it and they have it. I ask the Minister to let them continue to get it. It is a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul. If these people do not have home help workers coming to see them, they could die of other causes in their own homes. I beg the Government to do something to ensure there is a change in the current approach. It is valuable for us to be able to come in here today to raise this issue, which is so important for elderly people around County Kerry. I would like to mention as another example of the importance of this issue the case of 72 year old man who went into a shop the other day and was accosted by some nosy parker who said he should not be out getting his messages. We cannot trap or isolate elderly people entirely.

I have to raise the issue of the air ambulance for the south west that was promised in the last programme for Government. It will close tomorrow evening due to funding difficulties. I contacted the office of the Minister, Deputy Harris, early in March, but I heard nothing back. I have since been in contact with the Tánaiste's office. I beg and implore the Government to keep this vital service going. The air ambulance is vital for people who manifest with cardiac failure, stroke and various other illnesses and who are far away from where they need to go.

I thank the Government and, in particular, Dr. Tony Holohan, for the massive work they have been doing. I see that the Taoiseach thanked the Chinese for giving us the PPE stuff we need. I have to say I would thank the Chinese as well if they had kept their virus. If that had happened, we would not need the gowns and the equipment we are looking for now.

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