THE Government is developing a fair deal-type scheme for home help that will give people a guarantee of assistance within four or five weeks, according to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
He was responding to a Dáil question from Limerick Fianna Fáil Deputy Willie O’Dea who asked when would the Government deliver on its commitment to introduce a uniform homecare service so all recipients can receive quality support, seven days a week.
“It is meaningless to say, as the programme for Government does, that the Government is going to increase the funding every year because the numbers are running ahead of the funding and the situation is getting progressively worse”.
“When are we going to reach this nirvana where we will have a uniform home care service and where people will receive quality support, seven days a week?” Deputy O’Dea asked.
In his response, Mr Varadkar said that funding for home help has increased and is increasing, year on year. However, he also acknowledged that the demand is increasing and currently exceeds supply, both financially and, sometimes, when it comes to finding staff to provide the service, even when the finance is available.
“Our plan of action is to develop a fair deal-type scheme for home help. It is sometimes easier for people to get a nursing home place than to get home help. That is an enormous anomaly and an inefficiency.
“The Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Jim Daly, is now advancing work on developing a fair deal-type scheme for home help. It will not be the fair deal scheme but it will give people a guarantee of home help within four or five weeks, as is the case with fair deal.” the Taoiseach concluded.
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