asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to ensure that elderly people are cared for, whenever possible, at home in the community.

The policy of my Department and the health boards is to organise services so that the elderly can continue to live in privacy and comfort in their familiar surroundings for as long as possible.

The effective co-ordination of statutory and voluntary services is seen to be a vital requirement in carrying through this policy. The Director of Community Care and his team have a particular responsibility for ensuring that this co-ordination is developed and maintained. These arrangements and the effectiveness of the services being provided are kept under regular review by my Department, which has recently been strengthened for this purpose. It will continue to be a priority area for attention.

Would the Minister give consideration to increasing the prescribed relative allowance so that relatives may help many patients or people who are at present in institutions and who might be kept at home? Instead of incurring expense the State would actually save money by increasing this allowance. It costs £60 to keep a person in a non-teaching hospital. If you give £20 to a relative it will save £40 per person.

I accept that these measures are in line with the general policy and as soon as it is possible I would certainly be very keen on doing it.

As regards home help, which is one aspect of caring for the aged, is the Minister happy with the level of remuneration given to home helps?

That is a separate question.

It concerns old people being kept at home. This is one specific measure taken by the Department to ensure this is done. I am asking if the level of payment given to home helps at present is in line with what the Minister thinks should be given. At the present rate per hour it is ludicrous to expect people to provide this service. Would the Minister comment on this?

I agree with the Deputy that the home helps provide a very valuable and important service. I would be keen to see that this service would continue and improve.

Is the Minister aware that in the current year, with major cut-backs to health boards in their allocations, this service will suffer thus causing extra cost to the Exchequer as those people will have to be brought to hospital?

I have pointed out to the health boards that I would certainly not favour this policy. I do not believe it will be done in that way.

They have no option.

Expansion is another question. I agree that further improvement and expansion is desirable.

They cannot even maintain present services, that is the problem.

Questions Nos. 12 and 13 are for written reply.