O’Reilly’s Claims Don’t Add Up- Crowe

Dublin South West representative, Seán Crowe TD, has said that the Dr James Reilly’s claim that it is Government policy to consolidate and enhance home help services, while he is cutting 1 million home help hours, doesn’t add up, and claimed his thinking on the issue was delusional.

Deputy Crowe was responding to a Dáil debate initiated by Sinn Féin’s call for an end to the Home Care package cuts.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“Minister for Health James Reilly claims his Government is committed to consolidating and enhancing home help services, but at the same time he is actually taking away 1 million hours of home care support from vulnerable people. It is an absolutely appalling decision by the Minister, the Government, the Cabinet and their TD’s to support this decision.

“The Minister for Health is clearly delusional and advocates a fantasy explanation as to why he located two Primary Care Centres in his own constituency, against the wishes of his Junior Minister, Róisín Shortall.

“€8 million is to be cut from the home help budget between now and the end of the year. An additional €1.7 million will be cut from home care packages.

“The plan to cut home help hours is cruel and heartless.

“Home help support is the difference, in most cases, of people living independently in their own home, or facing the expensive option of a nursing home or hospital.

“The Governments policy doesn’t add up. It doesn’t make financial or economic sense. It is bad for society, bad for the elderly and bad for those that need the support.

“I am very conscious that we are talking about figures, like the 4% cut and savings of €8 million, but behind every single one of those figures is an individual with a particular need for care.

“Many of these individuals have been in receipt of home help support for years, while some are looking for the first time due illness or bad health.

“The Health Service Executive (HSE) has been told to cut supports on people whose home care needs have been assessed umpteen times.

“I have sat with many of them, looked them in the face, and they tell me they cannot cope with any further reduction.

“Some elderly are being offered only 15 minutes a day in support. Realistically what if anything can a visiting home help do in only 15 minutes

“What the Minister is doing is cruel and heartless. It is a cowardly act to attack the most vulnerable people in our society. Surely there are other cuts or wealthier people whose pockets he can dig into.”