Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for that reply. As always, the HSE is going to make sure the office is ready but let us make sure that the service is not affected. I note that Deputy Colm Burke is present. Last week, he hosted a very good information session, alongside the former Minister of State at the Department of Health, Jim Daly, with the Home Care Providers Alliance. It is essential to ensure, as we move to this new service, that there is no interruption to service on the ground and that local management and local knowledge is still very much a part of it because that often gets lost in the centralisation of HSE services.

When I was lucky enough to be first elected to this House, the problem was getting hours for a home care service, particularly for home help. Now the problem is getting people to service those hours. Many families are given the hours but cannot get the carers. We need to make sure there is no loss of service as we move to this new structure. I welcome the HSE commitment and the programme for Government commitment but I always fear that when the HSE centralises a service, it loses the local connection. I would like an assurance that this will not happen, and I know that the Minister of State will share my wish that it does not happen on this occasion. HSE and private home helpers do extraordinary work across the country but they are absolutely undervalued. We need to make sure that work is not lost.

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