Maura Hopkins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for attending. I also thank Deputy Colm Burke who has done a great deal of work in this area in recent years. This is a very important debate around ensuring that people who receive care in their homes across the country are being provided with the best possible care and that we have appropriate structures and regulation in place to deal with the difficulties that continue to arise. We know, as Senator Colm Burke mentioned, that carers do very important work. In the vast majority of cases, professional carers and family cares are doing the very best for the people for whom they care. However, we know of situations where standards have not been at the level at which they should have been.

In 2010, a "Prime Time Investigates" programme highlighted appalling standards of care that are just not acceptable. However, since that time there has been a void in terms of dealing with this matter and putting in place regulatory standards to ensure that those people who are vulnerable and need care are supported in the best possible way. HIQA said that it has received complaints about home-care provision but that it does not have any legal powers to investigate them. That is a major issue. HIQA can inspect community nursing home facilities but our main focus should be on supporting people in their homes. We have seen increases in the number of home help hours and in the number of home care packages provided but we need to ensure that the care delivered in people's homes - which is where most people want to be if they have the right support - is to the highest possible standard. We need to protect those individuals. I urge the Minister and the Department to progress the work in this area in order to ensure that there is proper regulation to deal with cases where the standards we would all expect are not being reached.

I very much support my colleague, Senator Colm Burke, in respect of the Bill he has brought forward. I look forward to working with him and ensuring that progress is made in this area in terms of better regulation of professional home-care provision.