It is Government policy to support older people to stay in their homes with the correct wrap-around supports. I believe it is everyone's policy. Earlier in this year I warned that those waiting for home care supports were facing a winter of discontent. In February of this year there were 6,048 people waiting. Unfortunately, the figure has risen again. As of the end of October it is now at a little under 7,900. In my constituency of Waterford we had 31 waiting in February. We have had a 700% increase as the number is now at 244. We are currently 400,000 hours behind target for 2019. The knock-on effect for carers, family members and late discharges in hospitals means it is a vicious cycle.

The 1 million hours promised in budget 2020 cannot come soon enough. I accept the budget has increased during the past two years and will increase again in 2020 but obviously it is not enough. As we all know, the most cost-effective way of looking after our elderly is at home. When I spoke to the service provider in Waterford, she told me the reason there was a 700% increase was that the budget has run out for 2019.

Apart from people on waiting lists for home help I want to raise an issue relating to HSE community healthcare organisation area 8. When a home help person rings in sick, no one is discharged to the houses that he or she was due to call to. One day, an elderly lady in my constituency was left cold until after lunch in a soiled bed because no home help called out. People in my constituency last week were written to and advised that if their home help person was taking annual leave there would be no replacement. A man who has dementia will be left for three days over Christmas without any home help. Frankly, this is not acceptable. I want the Taoiseach to talk to the Minister for Health to intervene to ensure that people who rely on home help on a regular or daily basis can be assured that if the home help person is sick or takes the entitlement of annual leave, the patient will not be affected.

An extra million home help hours are provided for in budget 2020. Given the massive unmet need, the Minister for Health is examining whether he can start allocating the hours now rather than waiting three weeks. The idea is to pull the money forward and start deploying it now. He should be able to know in the next day or two whether that is possible. Certainly it is desirable - I think we would all agree with that.

We are facing difficulties finding home help staff now. As is often the case, when we have the money we do not have the staff and when we have the staff we do not have the money. As we approach full employment it is difficult to find home help staff. Thus, when someone is off sick or on annual leave, difficulties can arise but we will do our best to resolve them.