Vol. 481 No. 3
11 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has satisfied himself that persons employed by the home help service in the various health board areas are adequately remunerated for their work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15902/97]
The rate of payment of part-time home helps varies considerably throughout the country, determined by the particular requirements and the type of task undertaken in individual cases. It is a matter for each health board to decide the level of home help services required and the level of payment to be made in respect of these services.
I emphasise that the underlying philosophy governing the operation of the home help scheme is that it is a community based good neighbour scheme which would attract volunteers primarily motivated by the desire to engage in community service. The service does not come within the realm of conventional employment. Income in respect of services provided is a payment which is not intended to compensate fully for the nature of the task undertaken. Such income does not come within the scope of the PAYE code and is not taken into account for the purposes of a means test where a home help — or the spouse of a home help — is in receipt of a means-tested social welfare payment.
This issue has been raised on many occasions in the House. My Department, in consultation with the chief executive officers of the health boards, is considering a number of aspects of the home help scheme, including the overall organisation of the service and the diversity of arrangements which exist within the health boards for the provision of this service. My Department has arranged to have an examination of the operation of the home help services carried out by an independent body, under the supervision of the National Council on Ageing and Older People, which will advise on how the services can be developed in a cost effective way in tandem with the other community based services. Work has commenced on this project and will be completed as quickly as possible.
When the results of this examination are made available to me, I will be in a better position to consider how best improvements may be brought about in the overall organisation and development of the home help service. Related issues such as rates for home helps will be considered as part of this process. In the meantime, my Department has allocated additional funding to three boards in 1997 for the purposes of increasing rates of pay to home helps. It is my intention to facilitate the improvement of the provision of the home help service, including pay rates, on a phased basis as resources permit.
