Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)

I am glad to get the opportunity. Even though so many people with disabilities are allocated home care or home help, often the home help never turns up, or at least not the amount of it that is supposed to be given to people. I have a case of a mother and daughter. The mother is minding the daughter for the past 35 years. The daughter got an acquired brain injury. She had strokes and several things and she is speechless. She has so many different problems. The house is fitted out. There is no home anywhere fitted out like it is fitted out to care for this girl.

The mother is now sick. She was promised three visits by two people each day but only one person is coming once a day. She is sick herself. This is not fair. If the HSE does not have the staff, I cannot understand why. I have been highlighting this for two years for several different people. Why can the HSE not employ contract workers? This poor mother is over 70 years of age. I know she wanted me to mention her in the Chamber but I will not do so until I have full authority. She is suffering and she has suffered for the last 35 years in seeing after her daughter. Now, when she is not able to see after herself, she needs the three visits each day from two people, given a hoist is needed to get the daughter out of bed, put her to bed and those little things. They would manage the rest themselves over the 24 hours of the day. It is not fair to give them an allocation and have no one turn up.

I am sick of it. I am not blaming the Minister of State; I am blaming the HSE. Something will have to be done about it. It is time to call “Stop”. I do not want these glossy magazines or reports on anything. The facts are there, and the Government knows it. They must be seen after.

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