Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)

I move:

That Dáil Éireann:

acknowledges: — the vital role played by carers and front-line healthcare workers in supporting older people, people with disabilities, and those with high care needs within their homes and communities;

— the indispensable contribution of these workers in alleviating pressure on hospitals and long-term residential care facilities through early intervention, continuity of care, and dignified in-place support; and

— the rapidly increasing care needs of an ageing population and a growing number of individuals with complex medical or support requirements, which demands urgent planning and investment; notes that: — carers, both paid and unpaid, are under significant and unsustainable strain due to inconsistent access to services, limited financial supports, inadequate staffing levels, and regional disparities in care provision;

— the current structure of means testing for carer supports disincentivises care work, punishes low-income families, and fails to reflect the true economic contribution of carers to the health and social care system;

— in 2024, the Health Service Executive (HSE) increased home support hours by 7.4 per cent compared to 2023, yet as of December 2024, there were 5,556 individuals on waiting lists for home support, with rural areas experiencing higher demand;

— over 7,000 individuals receive disability home support, highlighting the service's reach beyond the elderly population;

— currently, there is no legal entitlement to home support services, access is based on assessed need and available resources;

— the expansion of home support services has been met with staffing shortages, particularly in rural areas, impacting the timely delivery of care;

— failure to provide timely and adequate home support services leads to increased numbers needing to avail of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Fair Deal);

— the average weekly Fair Deal rate has seen a 14.2 per cent increase in the last 2 years;

— HSE-operated nursing homes receive significantly higher funding under Fair Deal compared to private and voluntary homes, with an average of more than €744 per resident per week than their private counterparts; and

— with these financial challenges leading to many nursing homes closing, with the stakeholders citing financial viability as the cause; further notes that: — in assessing an applicant 's financial contribution to the Fair Deal scheme, the "three-year cap", which limits the contribution from certain assets, such as the family home or farm, to three years, does not apply to leased land as it is not considered "actively operated" by the owner or a qualifying family successor; and

— consequently, the entire value of the leased farmland remains subject to the 7.5 per cent annual charge for the duration of the individual's stay in a nursing home, potentially leading to substantial financial liabilities; calls on Government to: — abolish means testing for carers to ensure equitable access to financial support, recognising the essential social and economic value of care work;

— fully fund the projected increase in costs for staffing and regulatory compliance;

— end the pay disparity between Section 39 and Section 38 workers;

— provide funding for recruitment campaigns, training, Information and Communication Technology systems, and provision expansion;

— provide a fixed timeline for the rollout of the statutory home support scheme;

— recognise long-term leased land as "actively operated" for the purposes of the three-year cap;

— allow for the appointment of a broader range of family successors, accommodating diverse family structures;

— provide clear guidelines and support to farmers navigating the complexities of the scheme; and

— provide increased capital and operational grants to community hospitals, residential care homes, and day centres, including specific provision for dementia care and disability-friendly infrastructure.

There are few responsibilities more profound or revealing than how a nation treats the most vulnerable in its society. In our role as legislators, we often speak of policy in the abstract - budgets, frameworks, schemes, etc. Behind each one of those lines, however, lies something far more human - a person, a family, a home. Today, this motion brought by Independent Ireland is asking that this House do more than just debate figures. We are asking the Government to confront a crisis of care, a silent systemic failure unfolding daily in our homes and communities across this nation.

Let us begin by stating what we already know. Ireland's care infrastructure, from the unpaid family carer to the overworked home support staff and the underfunded nursing home, is at breaking point. Yet, somehow and in some way, it still functions. This is not because of efficient planning on the HSE's side or adequate funding, but because of the devotion, sacrifice and sheer moral strength of carers across this entire country who hold it all together. These carers, mostly women, often older and frequently isolated, step in where the State takes the step back. They do this not for recognition or reward but because it is simply the right thing to do. In doing so, they save this country billions of euro. What do they receive? They receive a patchwork of supports which are inconsistent and inadequate and simply unjust. We have means-testing systems that punish low-income families, a structural home support scheme that remains continuously and perpetually in development and a fair deal scheme that is neither fair nor dealing with the reality of modern Irish life.

Let us turn to the facts. More than 5,500 people are waiting for home support. Rural communities are disproportionately impacted. Carers are leaving the profession because wages are poor and the respect is non-existent. Let us consider this point. A HSE-run nursing home receives over €744 more per resident per week than a private or voluntary counterpart. This is not equity and not sustainable and it is a clear failure of policy. Perhaps most unjust of all is the treatment of leased farmlands under the fair deal scheme. Leased farmlands are not considered actively operated and the three-year cap does not apply. This means families face an ultimate financial burden simply because they choose to lease rather than sell the family farm. This is not just bureaucratic cruelty but a direct threat to the generations of family farming. I therefore ask this House to act with urgency.

This motion calls for clear responsibility and implementation of reform. We in Independent Ireland propose the abolition of the means test for carers, recognising that care is not a charity; it is an essential labour. We call for fully funded real cost of staffing, regulations and compliance. We call for an end to the pay disparity between the section 38 worker and the section 39 worker. We call for investment in recruitment, training, ICT systems and rural development, the establishing and fixing of the timeline of statutory home supports, the recognition of leased farmland being actively operated and the broadening of the definition of eligibility for family successor to reflect a modern Irish family. This is not a wish list, radical or utopian, but it is fair, affordable and most definitely necessary. Above all, it is right.

The success of those on the Government benches will not be measured in press releases, headlines or grandiose statements. It will be measured by whether this State has upheld its duty to the people who gave their trust to the Government and the Minister of State. In the realm of care, we are failing the test of trust. I ask Members on the Government benches not to consider their whip but to consider their consciences. I ask them to think of the carer who has had no break for five years, the farmer on the verge of losing the family home because of long-term costs or the elderly man or woman waiting alone for support that will never arrive. These people are not asking for special treatment but they are asking for fairness and to be seen. Independent Ireland has brought this motion not to divide this House but to unite it. We have brought the motion not to shame this Government, although there is shame to be had. We offer a path of redemption and reform. Let us build a care system worthy of the people this State serves. Let us honour those who sacrifice daily for the dignity of others. Let us not speak of value but let us act on values. Let the history of this House record that on this day in Dáil Éireann we chose justice and compassion for the carers of this country and we chose the common good.

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