I wish to make an observation. It is my understanding that since last July nobody has got any water bills. Is that correct? I do not think they will get any in the future either. That is just a little observation when all the outrage and rhetoric is made. There was a reason for that.

The programme for Government said funding would be increased for home care packages and home help every year. A research project was carried out, I think by the Health Research Board, HRB, on the overall situation pertaining to resources for home care packages, home help and nursing homes. There was some suggestion that a means test would be introduced for home care. Will the Government fulfil the commitment in the programme for Government to introduce a uniform home care service in order that all recipients can receive quality support seven days a week, where possible? That is in the programme for Government. Is that a real commitment? Could the Minister indicate the follow-up in terms of the HRB report? One of the biggest challenges facing us, thankfully, is that people are living longer in Ireland than did any previous generation but that will require far greater end-stage-of-life interventions, in particular in the form of home care packages, home help and nursing homes. The fiscal side of the House has never quite come to terms with that demographic reality and there is a need for some intervention in that regard to try to marry the two.

I will ask the Minister for Health to respond to Deputy Martin's question on home care packages.

He should confine his response to a minute.

Deputy Micheál Martin made a fair point. We have a commitment in the programme for Government to increase funding for home care packages and home help hours this year and it is our intention to continue that in future budgets. The Deputy is correct that there is a need for a statutory scheme for the delivery of home care. Deputy O'Dea tabled a Bill on the issue a number of months ago. We now have a process in place. The HRB report published yesterday is the first step in that process, whereby we look at what other countries are doing in terms of putting such a scheme on a statutory basis. That will be followed by a consultation scheme, which will be launched in May by my colleague the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee. One would hope that the HRB report and the consultation scheme will pave the way for the introduction of such a scheme.

Will the Minister accept Deputy O'Dea's Bill?

We will work with Deputy O'Dea on it. Some issues genuinely arise. One cannot just lift the fair deal scheme for nursing homes and apply it to somebody's home but we are very willing to work to try and find common ground.