Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Bill introduced by Deputy Colm Burke. It is unfortunate that it is coming nine years after legislative provision in this area was recommended by the Law Reform Commission. Strong regulation in respect of professional home care services is long overdue. The number of people aged over 65 in this country is expected to increase to more than 1 million by 2040. Moreover, the number of people aged over 80 is set to increase dramatically. As Sinn Féin spokesperson for older people, I am aware that the majority of older people live active lives. Indeed, many of them are the backbone of our charities through the voluntary work they do. I had the pleasure of working with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in both Athy and Kilcullen in south Kildare, where many of my fellow workers were older volunteers. Those men and women were very good at their job and I commend them on the work they do.

A minority of older people require assistance to live independently and the increase in the older population will likely result in a greater need for community-based healthcare and social care services. If possible, this should be provided in people's own homes, as the Minister of State acknowledges. The need for home care is not confined to older people. It is also required by those who develop a chronic illness, those with a different physical or mental ability and those who are recovering at home after illness or an accident. I welcome the extension of the function of HIQA to include the setting of standards in regard to services provided by professional home care companies. I hope the Minister will, on the back of this Bill, introduce regulations dealing with all aspects of home care, including the requirement to prepare a home care plan.

We also need to set standards around detailed training requirements for those who provide these services. I particularly welcome the requirement to include the contract for care policies and procedures for the handling of money and property by the professional care provider on behalf of the care recipient. We have all heard horror stories of elder financial abuse. The Bill contains an undertaking to provide professional home care services. It must have policies in place to ensure the professional home care recipients are protected from all forms of abuse.

Our older citizens have been disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Telling them to cocoon and to stay out of sight until they are told to rejoin society is really not acceptable. We now need to see respite and care services reopened and we need to see a balance between physical health and mental health.

I commend the work of nurses, palliative care and home care attendants, home helps, various therapists and the personal care assistants who provide the home care. The work done by Older Voices Kildare and Denise Croke and her team of volunteers is invaluable. I invite the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, to Kildare, and Deputy Colm Burke at his convenience, to meet groups such as Older Voices Kildare. Hopefully we could then loosen up the Department's purse strings and maybe get something in their favour. I thank Deputy Colm Burke again for bringing the Bill forward.

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