Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Dec 2000

Vol. 528 No. 1

Written Answers. - Home Help System.

Jack Wall

Question:

253 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans his Department has to improve the home help system as presently operated; the linkage there is between the home help and the district nurse to relate causes of concerns by the home help in relation to the person in receipt of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29732/00]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Dr. Moffatt)

Government policy in relation to the care of older people is to maintain them in their own homes for as long as possible and the role played by home helps is vital to the success of this policy.

Following the publication of the report entitled The Future Organisation of the Home Help Service in Ireland by the National Council on Ageing and Older People, I made available a total of £3.78 million to the health boards in 1999 and 2000 to expand and develop the home help service and provide appropriate training for home helps as recommended in the report. I am pleased to inform the House that a further £2 million has been provided in the Estimates for 2001 to provide home help services to more people and-or more hours for existing clients, together with additional training for home helps.

Significant improvements have been made to the pay of home helps; the national minimum wage of £4.40 per hour was implemented with effect from 1 April 2000, up from the £3 per hour minimum rate in April 1999. In the Estimates 2001, a further £18.5 million has been provided to bring home help pay rates up to £5 per hour with effect from 1 January 2000 and £6.90 per hour from 1 January 2001.

I am advised that good working relationships exist between home helps and district nurses and that this facilitates the sharing of any concerns a home help may have relating to clients.