Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy very much for her question. We have been speaking about care all this week. I was only saying to the Tánaiste last night that of my budget for older people and mental health, which is €3.9 billion, every single cent of it is spent on care. There is home care, day care, meals on wheels and supporting people to age in place and in nursing homes and there are those with enduring mental health conditions and those with challenges in relation to their mental health.

In relation to the Deputy’s specific question on a statutory home care scheme, there are a couple of elements we need to do. Funding has been provided to hire 126 interRAI advisers but, unfortunately, there is an unintended consequence, because many public health nurses are applying for those posts, so we are seeing gaps there. The other piece is the legislative one, which I am delighted to say we are moving on at the moment. I hope to bring in the legislative piece in the next session, because it is important that we have standards for home care. I have had a word with the Chief Whip in relation to that and it will be in the next session.

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