Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like to be associated with the remarks of the Leas-Chathaoirleach and those of Senator Murphy on the latest atrocities in Ukraine. It is heartbreaking for all involved.

We all know that the cost of living is an issue that has come to the fore with rising inflation and the associated impact of the illegal invasion of Ukraine. Fuel prices are certainly putting people to the pin of their collar. I have met with numerous groups regarding cost-of-living issues. I recently met with people involved in providing home helps, who do a tremendously important job for our loved ones throughout the country. They are feeling the pinch because they have to drive every day to their jobs to meet their patients or the people they have to help. It is putting an undue burden on those workers who are low paid as it is.

I ask the Leader to contact the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, regarding a stipend or additional funding for home helps to cover their increased costs. These home helps also informed me they will not receive the €1,000 pandemic bonus payment, as I understand it, because they are agency staff as opposed to home-care assistants working for the HSE. That is not good enough because they do a tremendously important job. They are on the front line and many of them worked during the Covid period. Those who worked during that period should be entitled to the €1,000 payment. I ask the Leader to raise that with the Minister, Deputy Donnelly.

Chas mé le hoibrithe cúnamh baile le déanaí agus d'ardaigh siad costas breosla, peitreal agus díosal, mar go mbíonn orthu taisteal ó áit go háit chun an tseirbhís a chur ar fáil. Mar is eol don Cheannaire, tá na tithe scaipthe amach óna chéile in a lán áiteanna i gConamara agus bíonn na hoibrithe ag taisteal leathuair an chloig ó theach go teach chun cúram a chur ar fáil. Déanann siad jab fíorthábhachtach ach cosnaíonn sé níos mó an jab a dhéanamh mar gheall ar an ngéarchéim agus mar gheall ar an ardú praghsanna. Freisin, ní bheidh siad i dteideal don €1,000 a bheidh oibrithe ón HSE ag fáil. Níl sé seo féaráilte dóibh siúd a chuir na seirbhísí seo ar fáil le linn na tréimhse Covid. Ba chóir an t-aitheantas céanna a thabhairt dóibh.

There are many rural constituencies in particular where home helps have to travel, whether it is for 20 minutes or half an hour, to get from house to house. These houses are spread out from each other.It is difficult for the people who provide the services to get to those houses at the best of times. Given that fuel prices have doubled recently, it is putting an undue burden on home help providers. I ask the Leader to raise the issue with the Minister.