Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the 15 Members for their contributions to the Order of Business. Senators Clifford-Lee, Lawless, Ó Ríordán, Conway, Coghlan and McDowell raised Brexit. As we speak, the British Prime Minister is on his feet at the Tory party conference. He is saying he does not want to see any customs checks in Ireland and that he wants to protect the existing regulatory arrangements for Ireland. The contributions of Members recognise and reinforce the need for us to stand together. Yesterday, we had a very good debate on Brexit. The Tánaiste's contribution was illuminating. Senator Lawless, in his very fine contribution, crystallised the importance of the EU summit and the need to put the Good Friday Agreement at the forefront of the thinking of EU leaders and what they are discussing. Its dividend has been quite extraordinary. We all know that there is no such thing as a good Brexit outcome. The Good Friday Agreement has been a great positive for our country and for the people of the North and South. Anything that diminishes that is not good. The Government made it clear that customs checks are out. The Tánaiste said that yesterday, and repeated it this morning, as did the Taoiseach.According to my information, the Government has not seen any proposal from the British Government, but we have made our position clear. It is about ensuring an orderly Brexit. I will be happy to facilitate the Tánaiste or the Minister for State, Deputy McEntee, in coming to the House in due course.

Senator Clifford-Lee raised the issue of home help hours. I assure her that the Government is committed to improving access to home supports. It is a priority for it. There has been an investment of €446 million this year, which represents an increase from €140 million. There are challenges because demand is high and increasing, demographics are changing, people are living longer and want to stay at home more. In the HSE's service plan for 2019, 18 million home support hours have been allocated to 53,000 people. The aim of the Government and all of us who meet families every day is to have people remain at home and live with dignity and confidence. In spite of the Senator's comments, the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, is very much engaged in creating a new, stand-alone statutory scheme which will bring about regulation of home support services and their financing and regulation. I remind her - she might include it in one of her leaflets - that more than €8 million per week is being spent by the State. If one compares the position this time last year to the position today-----