Gerald Nash (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am please to have an opportunity to contribute to the debate and to make a few points that, I hope, are relevant to the House's consideration of the important matters before us. I congratulate Senator Burke on his far sightedness in introducing this important legislation, which my party supports. It is clear to everybody that a form of regulation is required in this sector and for home care provision in general. We should use every lever at our disposal to make sure those who wish to be cared for at home, whether they are older or are chronically ill, have that option, and that it is viable and supported by the State. We know from experience that long-term nursing home care is expensive and it is not in all cases the preferred option for a significant number of people. Most wish to stay at home as long as they can to be cared by their loved ones and, indeed, by professionals. While I acknowledge the demographic and economic challenges the country faces, we need to prepare and plan better for our future. As most of my colleagues have said, most older people would like to retain their independence and autonomy in their homes and they should be supported in doing so.

The home care sector has evolved organically over the years and there is a complete absence of regulation in the sector, which is surprising to some. A regulatory framework, therefore, is absolutely essential both for those who are being cared for and those who are operating in the sector. The Bill recognises this but if we are serious about enabling people to remain in their own homes as long as possible, we need to do much more than merely regulate the sector and those who work in it. Senator Swanick mentioned the need for investment in those who deliver the service, which is crucially important because the sector is characterised by low pay, limited protections, low hour contracts and it is open to exploitation not just in respect of those who are being cared for, but also in respect of those who work in the sector. It is one of the great conundrums facing our society that those who do some of the most important jobs - it is not just a phenomenon unique to Ireland - such as those who deliver early years education and those who look after our older people, whether that is at home or in nursing homes, are treated extremely poorly in terms of pay and terms and conditions.

Section 2(h) of the legislation provides for the development of what might be described as a "contract" for the provision of care services, fee arrangements and so on. It is important and it should be front and centre of any new legislation governing this area but the Bill is silent on the need to address the pay and working conditions of those who deliver services on the front line, day in, day out, in this exposed sector. It does not recognise that the norms in the sector in the context of pay and terms and conditions need to be drastically altered, improved and enhanced. We will never, for example, have a decent high quality and affordable child care sector or a decent, accessible, quality home care sector if that reality is not addressed. I would like more effort to be made by this Administration to do that.

I fully support the principle that those who work in the sector and companies in the sector should be properly regulated, and progressive people in the sector believe that as well, but the Bill and the Government's approach in general to this area could be improved immeasurably - indeed, the message the Bill sends would be better understood - if a real and sincere effort was made to address those shortcomings in a sector that is extremely exposed. I look forward to hearing the views of the Minster of State and Senator Burke on how those issues can be satisfactorily addressed by Government because we will not have a decent quality system unless we reward and support those who work in it.