Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)

The Minister of State has outlined a lot of figures, but from the human point of view, I know a lady who had her own business and who had to work part time to look after her mother. She was sanctioned, she was passed for the hours and they had hours Monday to Friday, but on Saturday and Sunday and in the evening, she had to go in. This is a woman with her own family, and she is travelling to look after her mother. The situation is that it was sanctioned and the hours were passed, but that is not enough. People need the supports. The Minister of State needs to come up with a plan. I am not here to criticise him. I am saying there are people who have had the hours passed but who need help and support and it is not coming. I have seen families in recent weeks and people are coming out of hospital without care packages and wrap-around services in place. That needs to be worked on. People should not be let home unless the care packages are in place. People want to go home, we want to support them at home, but we need to put it around them.

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