Breeda Moynihan-Cronin
Ceist:97 Mrs. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Health the plans, if any, he has to increase the rate of pay for home helps in the Southern Health Board area. [17935/96]
Written Answers. - Home Help Pay.
The salary scale for full-time home helps with effect from 1 October 1996 is in the range of £205.92 — £218.01 per week. This is the same rate as applies in the health services to group 1 non-officer grades. This scale applies throughout the country and is increased from time to time in accordance with increases granted to non-nursing personnel. With regard to persons engaged in the home help service on a part-time basis, the position is that the rate of remuneration varies considerably throughout the country. In particular, in the Eastern Health Board area the service is provided wholly by voluntary groups which accounts for the wide variation within the area. In all boards the rates are determined by the particular requirements and the type of task undertaken in individual cases. It is a matter for each health board to decide on the level of home help services required and the level of payment to be made in respect of these services. The chief executive officer of each board is in the best position to decide on these issues and my Department has no involvement in the day to day management of this service.
It should be noted that payments made to part-time home helps do not come within the scope of the PAYE system. Neither is such income taken into account for the purposes of a means test where a part-time home help or the spouse of a part-time home help is in receipt of a means tested social welfare payment.
In response to previous questions in this House I stated that my Department in consultation with the chief executive officers of the health boards, has under consideration a number of aspects of the home help scheme, including the overall organisation of the service and the diversity of arrangements which exist within health boards for the provision of this service. A discussion document submitted by the chief executive officers formed the basis for this examination. Following on from these discussions, I have decided to have an examination of the operation of the home help service carried out by an independent body which will advise on measures to ensure the equity and high quality of the service in respect of both providers and recipients. I am pleased to say that my Department has invited tenders for this review. It is expected that the review should be completed in three to four months.