Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 November 2021
596. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to address challenges in the homecare sector such as contracts on offer and employment terms and conditions which were identified as recruitment barriers in the recent occupational lists review; the engagements he has had with the sector and union representatives since the most recent review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57035/21]
View answerThe Programme for Government (2020) commits to the introduction of “a statutory scheme to support people to live in their own homes, which will provide equitable access to high-quality, regulated home care.” The Department is in the process of developing a statutory scheme for the financing and regulation of home-support. The new scheme will provide equitable and transparent access to high-quality services based on a person’s assessed care-needs.
In parallel with this, my colleague, the Minister for Mental Health and Older People has committed to establishing a Cross Departmental Strategic Workforce Advisory Group. The role of the group will be to facilitate the views of stakeholders and examine the evidence regarding the skills and labour market shortage, in home support and nursing homes. Potential areas to be considered include recruitment, retention, skills development, and sustainable employment of home carers into the future. Part of the work of this group will involve engagement with the relevant stakeholders in the sector.
It must be acknowledged that these organisations are privately owned and run and that their terms and conditions of employment, once in line with employment legislation, are strictly between the employer and the employee. Consequently, it would not be appropriate for the Department of Health or the Minister of Health to comment on specific terms and conditions of employment within private sector organisations.
A long term approach is required to address workforce challenges in the homecare sector, and the Department of Health is committed to working with relevant stakeholders to seek to address these issues.
