Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, for coming to the House and I know of her personal concern in regard to this matter. I believe Covid taught us one thing and that is the value, where it is a viable option, of caring for loved ones at home, particularly in old age. Moreover, that is often the desire of families. We all resolved after Covid to ensure that this would be a more viable option and that more people who want to be cared for at home, both by themselves and by their families, would be given that option. To do that, we need strong State supports. It is a very economical way of doing this but to do it, we need home care packages and home carers. However, in reality, the opposite is happening.

I will give a few examples. I know the case of a lady with multiple sclerosis and diabetes who has been awarded 42 hours, so that is approved. The agency that was given this package by the HSE has handed it back and there are now no carers. It handed it back on the understanding that it did not have the carers. As the HSE has stated that it also does not have the carers, she is only in receipt of 13 hours weekly that is provided by carers. There is another case where the carer was not replaced when she went on annual leave and no arrangements were put in place to cover the carer's leave. Everybody is entitled to leave. There is another case of a constituent who was awarded 16 hours of home care per week but has not been given more than six hours in any given week. On and on it goes.

I want to highlight these particular cases because it is a human tragedy that this is happening. Of course, it is making people reassess the option of caring for people in their own home environment which, as I said, is often the choice. However, it is not viable if people do not have the support.

What I am hoping to hear tonight is that the Government has a plan to address the issues. One of the fundamental issues, by the way, is that the profession of caring in the home is not a particularly well-paid profession. As I have argued for years, there is too big a gap between what the top of the public service is paid and what the bottom of the public service is paid, and we need to address this. It is coming back to haunt us that this issue has been allowed to go on. I hope the Minister of State will have some answers tonight. I know she is sympathetic. If she needs support in looking for the money, she will get the support of every Member of the House in making a stand. People who are caring and being cared for deserve the best and home is the best in many cases, although I am not ruling out the incredible role that nursing homes also play.

See this speech in context