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Vol. 254 Wednesday, No. 10 29 November 2017 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Insert Date Here 29/11/2017A00100Business of Seanad 692 29/11/2017A00300Commencement Matters 692 29/11/2017A00400Home Care Packages Provision 692 29/11/2017B00425Road Projects Status 694 29/11/2017C00200Scéim na gCúntóirí Teanga 696 29/11/2017G00100Order of Business 700 29/11/2017P00200Visit of Monaghan Delegation ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������720 29/11/2017P00400Order of Business (Resumed) 720 29/11/2017P00800Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rents) (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage 720 29/11/2017BB00100Business of Seanad 729 29/11/2017BB00500Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015: Statements 730 29/11/2017TT00100Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund 2017: Motion 760 29/11/2017YY00450Ireland’s Bid for European Banking Authority: Statements 769 29/11/2017CCC00500Diplomatic Relations (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017: Second Stage ��������������������������������������������������������778 29/11/2017HHH00100Garda Overtime Budget: Statements 787 SEANAD ÉIREANN Dé Céadaoin, 29 Samhain 2017 Wednesday, 29 November 2017 Chuaigh an Leas-Chathaoirleach i gceannas ar 1030 am Machnamh agus Paidir. Reflection and Prayer. 29/11/2017A00100Business of Seanad 29/11/2017A00200An Leas-Chathaoirleach: I have received notice from Senator Máire Devine that, on the motion for the Commencement of the House today, she proposes to raise the following matter: The need for the Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibil- ity for disability issues to outline the home care packages and hours available to a severely disabled individual whose wish it is to be discharged from St James’s Hospital, Dublin, and return home I have also received notice from Senator Victor Boyhan of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to provide an update on the provision of funding for the proposed Athy ring road I have also received notice from Senator Keith Swanick of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to outline the qualify- ing criteria for the allocation of a language assistant under the cúntóir teanga scheme I regard the matters raised by the Senators as suitable for discussion I have selected Sena- tors Devine, Boyhan and Swanick and they will be taken now 29/11/2017A00300Commencement Matters 29/11/2017A00400Home Care Packages Provision 29/11/2017A00500Senator Máire Devine: I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for taking this Commencement matter I am here to make a personal representation for the family of Ms Mary 692 29 November 2017 Baker Mary is 80 years old and went to St James’s Hospital in August with a chest infection, ending up with a broken back, leading to paralysis from the waist down 29/11/2017A00600An Leas-Chathaoirleach: Please desist from naming individuals 29/11/2017A00700Senator Máire Devine: Okay The family is here so they are okay with it 29/11/2017A00800An Leas-Chathaoirleach: They may be but we are not allowed to name individuals 29/11/2017A00900Senator Máire Devine: Mary was at five years old put into institutional care, along with her small sister of two years old. She had an horrific childhood, with horrors we can only imag- ine and which we have heard of through the years about the Magdalen laundries She protected her small sister and got out of there at the age of 16, never to return She married happily and has children of her own She is blind She asked her children to never allow her back into insti- tutional care Unfortunately, this is what is being offered by the wonderful staff at St James’s Hospital, who have cared for Mary They have said she will probably need institutional care as opposed to home care She wants to go home and she is familiar with that environment, given her disability of being blind She had a wonderful life going in and out of social events, having hairdos and being in her local community She was a very independent woman Since the news was broken last week by the staff in the hospital, she has experienced ex- treme distress. She is crying and cannot eat. She just wants her wishes to be fulfilled in that she can be cared for at home with whatever time she has left She needs more than the aver- age home care package. I know there are difficulties with these packages but I plead for the Minister of State to work with the other Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, on this and meet the family. We should look at the benefit to the State, as the cost of hospital bed stay is approximately €6,000 per week, the cost of residential care could be up to €2,000 per week and the cost of a home care package is significantly lower. I would like a commitment from the Ministers of State, including Deputy Finian McGrath, who is aware of this, to meet the family and work out the best option in order to fulfil her re- quest for whatever time this woman has left We need to have compassion and empathy and we must act in the best interests and wishes of Mary 29/11/2017A01000Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Jim Daly): I thank the Senator for raising this matter She referred to a particular case I believe that it would be inappropriate to discuss an individual’s circumstances in public in the Seanad I appreciate this is a distress- ing time for the individual However, I have been advised that the HSE is working closely with the family and that a range of resources is needed which are difficult to source. The HSE has operational responsibility for planning, managing and delivering home and other community-based services for older people In addition to the mainstream home help service, which offers support for personal care and help with domestic chores, enhanced home care is provided through home care packages All those applying for home care are assessed and provided with a service, if appropriate, as soon as possible having regard to their assessed needs and availability of resources Priority is given to people due to be discharged from acute hospitals who are in a position to return home with supports However, the resources available for home care services, while significant, are limited and, with the increase in our elderly popu- lation, demand is growing year on year In budget 2018, a further €37 million has been made available for older people’s services, comprising €5 million in funding in 2017 and €32 million next year, to further strengthen supports for older people, particularly to facilitate speedier dis- 693 Seanad Éireann charge from acute hospitals over the winter period. A significant proportion of this additional funding will go towards home care services There will always be a cohort of people for whom residential nursing home care provides the best option to meet their health care needs The nursing homes support scheme continues to be the main pathway through which most people enter residential care The scheme will continue to be a key support ensuring that older people have access to high-quality care in a location of their choosing Improving home care services in order that people can live with confidence, dignity and security in their own homes for as long as possible is a key commitment of the Government Home supports are crucial to help- ing older people, and indeed people of all ages, with particular care needs to remain where they want to be, at home in the surroundings with which they are most familiar and comfortable The Government is planning to establish a new statutory home care scheme and a system of regulation for home care services The Department is currently engaged in a detailed process to progress these issues The Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, and I launched a public con- sultation process on the financing and regulation of home care in July of this year. The public consultation is just the start of the broader process of engagement by the Department with in- terested individuals, groups and service providers on the future of home care The Government is committed to progressing the development of a regulatory and funding model for home care services as quickly as possible, though I should point out that it is a complex undertaking and will require a significant amount of detailed preparation. 29/11/2017B00200An Leas-Chathaoirleach: Would Senator Devine like to ask a supplementary question? 29/11/2017B00300Senator Máire Devine: Yes I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly I refer to his reference to a location of their choosing This woman chooses to go home to a familiar environ- ment where there is family involvement and they can dovetail in with a home care package I could go on Her daughter lives with her, other daughters and sons live in the vicinity