Statutory Right to Home Care Would Allow Older People in Cork to Remain at Home for Longer

Older people must be helped to live independently in their own homes for as long as possible, Cork North West Fine Gael TD John Paul O’Shea has said.

Deputy O’Shea this week welcomed the commitment to introduce a new Statutory Home care scheme. “Such a measure is being led by his Colleague Fine Gael Minister Kieran O’Donnell to ensure people can reside in their home for longer. Fine Gael campaigned for the introduction of a new Minister for Older People with a focus on the issues facing elderly people & Minister O’Donnell has set out his priorities for the role.”

Deputy O’Shea also added, “This will be a relief to many families, to be able to see their parents, uncle or aunt remain in their own familiar surroundings and to remain as independent for as long as possible in their own home. A new vision is required to make Ireland one of the best countries in the world to support a long and fulfilled life. Life after retirement should be active, connected, respected, secure, and independent, just as it is before. We need to be bolder and more ambitious in how we achieve this. Under Fine Gael in government, the Department of Health and the Department of Housing will work together for the first time ever to develop joint policy options for older persons. As the Minister for Older People across two departments, my party colleague, Kieran will be leading on this.

“The first step is the statutory home care scheme. The importance of helping older people assist them to remain independent and live in their homes with dignity and independence for as long as possible cannot be underestimated. It is better for them, it is better for the country, and it demonstrates that the contribution older people have made to communities nationwide is immense. This should be recognised and rewarded by the State.”

Minister O’Donnell said: “The Government believes that people should be helped to live as long as possible in their home and in their community. So central to my role in the coming period is to establish care in the home on a statutory footing. It means that as people get older and their care needs evolve, they will have the option and legal right to be cared for in their own home should they so wish. Right now while the Fair Deal scheme provides a legal right to residential care, there is no equivalent programme for home care. I am aware that this has been a commitment made before, but I intend to be the minister to deliver on it. It is my number one priority”. 

“The Programme for Government commits to designing a Statutory Home care scheme that will allow people to stay in their own homes for as long as possible. I will push forward with proposals for the establishment of home care on a statutory footing so that people who require long-term care at home have the option of receiving it. Achieving this commitment will require focused efforts across several different areas of Government who will all be working towards developing a statutory framework”, added Minister O’Donnell.

“The first element will be to ensure that those who provide home care support are licensed and registered and that the highest standards are applied and the sector is regulated by HIQA. I want to get the final draft of this bill before the Cabinet as quickly as possible,” Minister O’Donnell concluded.