Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, who sends her apologies for not being here this morning. I would like to thank the Senator for raising this issue, which is a key priority for the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and for the Government. It will allow more people to engage in services that will allow them to remain independent and to live in their own homes with dignity and independence for as long as possible. Where this is not feasible, the health service supports access to quality long-term residential care, where this is appropriate. We will continue to develop and improve health services in all regions of the country to meet this objective and to ensure both quality and patient safety.

The 1993 regulation provided a framework for the operation of a boarding out scheme. The regulation included specific conditions relating to maintenance, care and welfare of an older person in a private home. The intention of the scheme was to provide social and personal care to older people who did not want to or who were not able to live on their own but who wanted to remain living in their community. The phrase that is important here is “local community”.

Under the regulations, the HSE must be satisfied that the house is suitable and that the householder is fit to look after the person who is being boarded out. The householder must provide suitable and sufficient care, nutritious and varied food and adequate attendance, having regard to the needs of the person. The householder must also respect the privacy of the person who is being boarded out. Not more than six people can be boarded out in one house. The regulation also sets out standards as to the suitability of the accommodation, including cleanliness, safety and other related matters. I am reading all this into the record because perhaps not too many people know about this. I genuinely believe that this, until I read it before the House morning, was one of the best kept secrets. I personally also thank the Senator for raising this issue.

The regulations provide that the HSE may pay to the householder an amount not exceeding half the weekly rate of the non-contributory State pension which is payable at the time in respect of each person being boarded out. In addition, the person who is being boarded out must pay to the householder an amount which is agreed between the HSE, the householder and the person who is being boarded out.

The boarding out scheme has diminished over time. It is now only available in a limited number of areas across the country. At present, it is understood that there are only 17 boarding-out facilities across three community healthcare organisations. The HSE completed a review of the scheme in 2017, which concluded that an expansion of the scheme was warranted. While the use of the boarding out scheme by the HSE has traditionally been small, there is value in exploring it further. I would go so far as to say that this relevant not just for older persons, but that we could also look at within the area of disability.

The pandemic has highlighted the continuing importance of the need to support older people living in our community who wish to remain in their communities where they may otherwise be accommodated in residential care. I am pleased to advise the House that my colleague, the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health and older persons, Deputy Butler, has requested that officials in the Department consider this model of care and the regulation for the scheme, as well as the rate of pay and implications of the raising costs associated with running these accommodations in the context of our overall commitment to enhancing opportunities for older people to stay in their homes and in their communities for longer.

What the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, has committed to doing is very welcome. I thank the Senator for raising this issue.