David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Even if a statutory home-care scheme is brought in, the first questions we need to ask are whether we have the capacity to deliver it and what will actually change for people. I do not believe we have the capacity to deliver a scheme in the way it was originally envisaged. Maybe that is the reason it has not happened. I have a real fear that we will, in very cosmetic ways, bring in a statutory home-care scheme and tick that box without changing anything in reality for older people. If we bring in a statutory scheme in the way we intended, we will have to completely rethink this whole area, including the types of people who will be in nursing homes, for example, those who will be higher dependency and have greater needs, and also ask what it will mean for staff, capacity and so if we have more people being cared for in the home. We have not done any of that groundwork. That is the real challenge we have.

I support the motion. Sinn Féin made similar proposals in our alternative budget. I welcome the fact that this Government moved on the expert review of pay and remuneration for home-care support, including a living wage, but travel expenses were not addressed. I took a simple view that we should just do it all as quickly as possible and not drag this out. Recommendations were made on travel and subsistence as well as the living wage. It should have been dealt with in the recent budget but it was not because of the decision the Government made to underfund the health service.

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