With regard to the programme for Government and the Health (Amendment) Bill, could the Taoiseach explain why home help hours were taken from people?

Hold on a second. We are off again.

People who had a home help service on Christmas Day previously did not have it last year.

This is the Order of Business. It is not a debate about home help hours.

Yes, but we talk about the homelessness-----

If someone is receiving home help hours it is a very important issue. On the programme for Government and the commitments given-----

There was nothing in the programme for Government about home help hours.

I am sorry but there was.

About home help hours?

Yes. The Government gave a commitment about home help hours.

Taoiseach, have you made a commitment about home help hours?

The five-point plan is down to three now.

Let the Taoiseach answer.

Home help hours have been increased but they are subject to arrangements between the local home helps and the persons whom they serve. I am not sure about Deputy Healy-Rae's point about it being withdrawn on Christmas Day.

Yes, it happened.

Arrangements are made between the home helps and the people they look after every day or every week. There may have been a local circumstance for that. I do not take it as a given that the home help service was cut off for the person the Deputy mentioned.

The Deputy should make further inquiries about that.