I support the call by my colleague, Senator Landy, for the Minister for Health to come into the House to clarify the position regarding home help hours. Prior to the last budget I made it clear that my support for the budget depended on whether the Minister restored the €8 million worth of home help hours to the HSE. I got assurances before the budget, and during the budget speech, that that had happened but I understand from reading various HSE service plans for counties that the number of hours being provided by the HSE currently is the same as the number provided after the cuts were made in 2012.

People whose home help hours were withdrawn in 2012 have not had them restored, and neither have home help service providers whose hours were cut in 2012. Either the money was restored to the HSE for the purpose of home help hours and was spent elsewhere or it was not restored. I support Senator Landy in requesting the Minister to come before the House to clarify which it is.

I also wish to raise the issue of home help hours. It is a very appropriate topic to discuss because it reflects how we treat our old people and the dignity and support they receive from the State. It is all linked to the issue of allowing elderly people live in dignity in their own homes versus the option of going to a nursing home. It is a no-brainer for the State to support home help hours. With the cutbacks in home help hours, some elderly people are forced into nursing homes, the cost of which, depending on whether they are public or private, can vary from €550 a week to €1,500 a week, with private homes generally being cheaper than public nursing homes. No old person should be forced into a nursing home. It should be a choice-based issue and so should home help support. In my county, drastic cutbacks have been made to home help hours in recent years. This is simply wrong because it is excellent value for money. Home help workers provide excellent care to the elderly and they should be supported by the State. The service should not be privatised. I am a great believer in having home help hours carried out by neighbours and friends of individuals.

Another anomaly is the issue of the carer's allowance package and the absolutely disgraceful treatment of carers, people with disabilities and our elderly by the Department of Social Protection. I raised this issue a number of weeks ago and the Leader threw it back and stated I should use my contacts in the Department. There has been a policy change in the Department and it is like a whispering campaign. Officials in the Department are told to approve only a small number of applications.

That is true.

It is unofficial but speaking to contacts in the Department-----

Is Senator Ó Domhnaill looking for a debate on the issue?

The Ministers for Social Protection and Health should come before the House because if we cannot protect our elderly and disabled and those who care for them in our current difficult economic situation, then the country will be no place for old people.