John Kelly (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I support calls by my colleagues, Senators Darragh O'Brien and Leyden, on the issue of home help services. We attended a meeting on Monday night last in Roscommon where home helps were reduced to tears trying to explain the bonds that they have created with the elderly with whom they have worked for years, being deprived of hours of home help and how it is affecting the elderly.

I appreciate what Senator Leyden stated, namely, that Fianna Fáil has a proud record. I made the point at that meeting that five or six years ago we should have been worried about this issue because we were down to talking about home help minutes when Senator Leyden's party was in government and now it has come to a head. We do not have a vote on budgetary matters.