Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 212: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her plans to address the home care and nursing home needs of the elderly; when she expects to be able to take measures necessary to address the needs of an aging population; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8149/06]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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This Government is committed to developing the various community and home support schemes that are vital to maintain older people in their own homes for as long as possible. As the Deputy will be aware, an investment package of an additional €150 million has been put in place for services for older people and palliative care for 2006 and 2007. Reflecting the new emphasis on home and day care, almost three quarters, or €109 million, of the full year costs are being committed to community care supports.

Home care packages deliver a wide range of services and have been piloted successfully in several regions in recent years. They include various disciplines and will vary according to the care needs of the person so that, for example, there might be a greater emphasis in some packages on home care assistants while other packages may require a greater level of therapy and nursing. Approximately 1,100 home care packages are provided to people at present. Of the budget investment package an additional €55 million has been allocated to this initiative, €30 million of which relates to 2006, so that by the end of 2006 a total of 2,000 additional home care packages will have been provided.

As the Deputy will be aware, home helps are also an essential part of supporting older people at home and thereby delaying or preventing admission to long-stay residential care. They also help the early discharge of older people from hospitals and can form part of home care packages. There is a continuing demand for home helps due to the increased number of older people. An additional €33 million full year cost is now being allocated for this programme, €30 million in 2006 and €3 million in 2007. The additional funding of €30 million will provide 1.75 million additional home help hours. I wish to advise the Deputy that additional funding of €20 million was provided for the administration of the nursing home subvention scheme in 2006, bringing the total available budget to €160 million.

In relation to the standard and quality of services and facilities in nursing homes, the Nursing Homes (Care and Welfare) Regulations 1993, made under the Health (Nursing Homes) Act 1990, set out the standards to which private nursing homes must adhere. The Health Service Executive currently carries out inspections in private nursing homes. In the context of the Health Bill 2006, the process has begun to review the current system with a view to strengthening the powers available to those involved in inspecting facilities and to extend a strengthened inspection system to public facilities.

It is also intended that the Bill will provide for the setting and monitoring of standards for residential facilities for older people. In addition, the Department has commenced a review of the Nursing Homes (Care and Welfare) Regulations 1993 and is working in conjunction with the HSE, the SSI and the Irish Health Services Accreditation Board with the intention of developing standards that will apply to all residential services for older people. The National Economic and Social Forum report on care for older people was launched on 29 January 2006. I and officials in my Department will study this report and discuss it with the HSE in due course.

As the Deputy may be aware, the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Brennan, established a working group to identify the policy options for a financially sustainable system of long-term care, including improvements in community care and home care packages. The report of the working group on the future financing of long-term care has been presented to Government and is currently being considered by Cabinet.