Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)

I support the remarks made by Senator Callely that we do not adequately use home help and home care facilities. There is potential in those services to do more good and it is madness not to use them more to make our services more cost effective and bring savings rather than further expenditure.

This is the season when we remember people living alone and call on people to visit them. During the recent general election I came across many people who live in isolation and who need people to visit them. I urge people, especially at this time, to visit people who are lonely and isolated. I call on the Leader to arrange for a debate on this issue and ask him to bring my suggestions to the Minister. We should put a visiting service in place to visit lonely people. The service could be funded at home help rates at local level. Such a service could do immense good and perhaps keep people out of institutional care. The traditional public health nurse role in this area has been diminished. We should also put in place a special grant scheme for voluntary organisations that provide evidence of visiting older people. I commend this practice to the Leader and ask him to bring it to the attention of the relevant Minister.

Despite the fact that Senator O'Toole upset Senator Regan today, I must agree with him with regard to water services.