Health (Amendment) (Home Support Providers) Bill 2025: Second Stage
Seanad Éireann — 2026-06-16
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Maria Byrne (FG), Agricultural Panel

I thank the Minister of State and his officials for coming here today to discuss this all-important topic. Quality of care and assurance is something all families look for, especially when they want to keep their loved ones at home. Longevity is something we have here in Ireland. For a long time, people did not live as long. More and more people desire to try to stay at home as long as possible and that cannot happen without carers. Whether they are public carers, sourced through a private company or funded through the HSE, it is really important that a standard be set. I compliment the Minister of State and his officials on their dedication to setting that standard and bringing forward proposals that will create safeguards around accountability and the fact that people will be properly trained. There will be set standards. Up to now, there were different standards and some people may not have had formal training. The fact that the Minister of State is looking at all those and regulating the fact that the service provider has to make sure everybody is at the same standard means there will be continuity of care.
It is also an assurance piece for the family of the person who is being cared for. When we speak to people who are living at home and living independently, they tell us that the carers coming in and doing this job or that job gives them the competence to live longer and also to live at home. It gives them greater confidence in being able to achieve things. As long as we can keep people at home, they are more comfortable in their own surroundings. It is consistent care in a lot of cases. Sometimes, people have different carers coming in but in many of the companies it is the same carer. I attended an information day with one of the care companies with the Minister of State and they had an award ceremony for some of their carers. The patients who people were working with were asked to vote for different carers and talk about their qualities. Some of the issues they raised were so complimentary because so many people are so caring.
We always have people who might have slipped through that loop, but this legislation will set down the foundation for making sure everybody receives the same level of care with that accountability piece. That the sector is answerable to HIQA is also important because it sets such high standards in terms of its inspections and that whole quality piece. I compliment the Minister of State and his officials. I look forward to working with him on bringing this Bill through the Houses.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-06-16/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:03+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-16