Tipperary TD welcomes increase in home carer wage, but cautions against any cut in hours

Tipperary TD Michael Lowry has welcomed the decision by the Government to increase the amount paid to home carers working with companies contracted to provide HSE-funded home care support.

In addition, the time spent travelling from one location to another will also be included as part of their working day for the first
time.

However, he has cautioned against any move to cut the number of home support hours allocated to those receiving care, describing this as a retrograde decision.

"For the first time, carers will be paid at least the National Living Wage of €13.10 per hour. This is something I welcome and have called for on several occasions. It is a decision that should have been made long before now, due to the invaluable service that carers provide to the elderly and those with disabilities," he said.

The Thurles TD said that by making the announcement, the Government was hoping that more people will train to work as carers or return to work in this sector., which, he said, would be a positive development.

"However, combining this positive move with one that involves reducing the number of hours that a home care recipient receives is like giving with one hand and taking back with the other. There has already been a nationwide call to have Home Care hours increased, doing the opposite is not the way forward for home care in Ireland," said Deputy Lowry.

The Independent TD saisd that the reality was that the number of care hours needed to be increased to allow carers to spend more time with those they care for and to allow those being cared for an enhanced level of both physical and emotional support.

"The purpose of home care is to meet the needs of the patient. It is already the case that patients availing of a home care package already get a very limited number of hours per day. During this short time, a carer is obliged to tend to all their needs. For many patients, this may be the only human contact they have throughout the day as family members and neighbours may be unable to call due to work and family commitments," he said.

Deputy Lowry said that by reducing the number of hours a patient will receive was not in keeping with the ethos of providing care.

"In order for the home care system to move closer towards meeting patient needs the hours should, in fact, be increased. By increasing these hours it would mean that a patient could remain in their home for longer, rather than moving to a medical or care setting. Not alone would this increases the quality of life for the patient, but it is also more cost-effective from a healthcare perspective," he said.

Last month Deputy Lowry and the members of the Regional Group of TDs brought a motion before the Dáil highlighting the critical state of home care and home help services across the country. The Motion received undivided support.

In his presentation at that time Deputy Lowry said that "a complete and fully functioning home help and home care system for elderly people is not simply needed, but should, in fact, be a fundamental part of the overall health care provision in this country".

"I continue to stand over this statement," he said, "and I will emphasise it again in advance of the Budget when the Dáil resumes. Ensuring that a full and proper level of care can be provided to a person receiving Home Care is of paramount importance and not something that can be compromised in any way."