Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If one issue emerged clearly from Covid-19, it is that we must readdress how we do care of the elderly. That is incumbent on us now. In that context, I ask our Leader to arrange a debate with the relevant Minister or Ministers, as the case may be, regarding having a coherent approach to this matter.

There are three dimensions to this issue. First, there is the question of the accommodation of the elderly. We will have to explore more imaginative solutions in residential villages for older persons and look at the greater incentivisation of granny flats. We are also going to have to support high-quality nursing homes in a way that allows them to provide the safest possible environment. Second, we must quickly put in place statutory home help packages for families with a person in need. Just as we have the fair deal scheme for nursing homes, we need a statutory home help home care package programme for families and individuals in need. Lastly, and this is very important, we need to look at the way we treat our carers in the home. We need to improve the carers' allowance, improve ancillary benefits and make it an attractive package. The tragic overall economic and employment context might make the option of caring for a family relative attractive, if we build up the package and make it even more appealing. We have to support our family carers.

My good colleague, Senator Lombard, said he was putting the Cathaoirleach on notice that he will be raising farm safety constantly. I put the Cathaoirleach on notice that I will be raising the issue of carers, how we look after our carers and their standing and those other issues constantly as well. I ask the Leader for that debate. I will finish by stating that as a Border person, I want to second the remarks Senator Paul Daly made earlier about Brexit. I appeal to the Cathaoirleach and the Leader to act immediately on those proposals.