Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Workforce challenges in the social care sector are international challenges that Ireland has in common with other jurisdictions. For example, in March 2022 the Scottish Government published a national workforce strategy for health and social care to address the challenges they face in Scotland. This Government is committed to addressing the strategic workforce challenges that exist in the home support sector in Ireland.

It should be noted that, notwithstanding these challenges, progress is being made in increasing home support provision. Overall service delivery has increased by approximately 17% year on year and the total number of people waiting for home support has fallen from over 9,000 at the start of 2020 to 5,068 by the end of May 2022. In providing clarity on the roles of service providers, home support workers, service users and family carers, the regulation of the home support sector will ensure the quality of home support services and safeguard service users. The work of the strategic workforce advisory group is progressing and the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, is confident the recommendations of the group will be effective in addressing the workforce challenges that we face in the home support and nursing home sectors.

Senator Dooley has raised the possibility of some stipend - I will not say a magic bullet - to address the increased cost of fuel. This is happening in all sectors. It is an emerging issue and we need to tackle it.