John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 129: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to SIPTU's Be Fair to Those Who Care campaign; if she intends to address the issues raised by this campaign; if she will ask the Health Service Executive to address the crucial issues of lack of funding and zero hour contracts in the home help service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14297/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Deputy's question relates to human resource management issues within the Health Service Executive. As these are matters for the executive under the Health Act 2004, the Department of Health and Children has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to arrange to have them investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

I am aware that a high level group has been established, with representatives from the Health Service Executive and staff representatives from SIPTU and IMPACT, to address issues pertaining to the standardisation of home help services. The group held its first meeting on 23 March last and further meetings are scheduled.

An additional €33 million full-year cost was allocated to the home help programme in the 2006 budget, €30 million of which will be for 2006 with the remaining €3 million in 2007, which will enable the Health Service Executive to provide an additional 1.75 million hours nationally in 2006. The additional resource will further enhance the service and facilitate the expressed wish of many more older people to continue to live in their own homes for as long as possible.