Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her empathy. She can only feel as I do. There was all of what the Minister of State described to me, but it took a week and I made further inroads. I will not mention the HSE official's name, but I found somebody who was empathetic, who took charge of the situation and who said it would not happen again. However, the letters the Minister of State referred to were particularly cold and callous, and I would never like to see them again. In that regard, I hope I will not be referring back to the Minister of State with anything that was put before me last week.

While I was researching this, some significant matters were raised with me by individuals who have great experience. Some of them are retired. They are particularly concerned that the HSE is not communicating the skills that are required to those delivering the education. For example, the education and training boards, ETBs, and other organisations are delivering carer courses, but when a job is advertised by the HSE for a carer there is no correlation between the qualification received from the ETB or some of the other organisations and the HSE requirements. It is no wonder that there is a shortage of carers. I can understand why it is the case. What must happen is that the stakeholders must get together and the HSE should make its requirements very clear. That is what the Irish Road Haulage Association, IRHA, did when it needed drivers. A driver training programme with the ETB was set up by the IRHA. The HSE needs to write its own carer's course and have it qualified by Quality and Qualifications Ireland.

These are the issues causing the problems and they do not come to the fore in what we do every day. I ask the Minister of State to take that on board for the families. They are our most vulnerable people.

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