Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I note the Minister of State's response and I thank him for coming to the House. He indicates there has been just a 2% decrease. However, the age profile of our society is going the other way in my view there should be an increase of 2% or 3% rather than a decrease. I ask the Minister of State to convey to the Minister, Deputy Reilly, that in my view, when the pressure is on the HSE budgets the home help service is the easy picking. Most of the people in receipt of home help cannot speak for themselves and they are depending on us to raise the issue here. It is appalling that there should be any cuts whatsoever in this area. I am disappointed with the response.