I thank the Minister of State for indicating that she will talk to the HSE. We will return to the issue of statutory entitlement to home care in the next amendment. I helped to run the Make Home Work campaign seven years ago. Change in this regard has been a long time coming and I hope it happens soon. It is in the programme for Government. We will come to that point in a moment. Another aspect concerns decongregation and moving people out of these unsuitable situations. Turning to this amendment, I thank the Minis…

I withdraw the amendment and I look forward to further engagement on this matter.

I move amendment No. 3: In page 59, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following: “Report 33. The Minister shall, within 12 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas in respect of situations where a person applies for financial support to be made available to them in relation to residential care services and where that person subsequently transitions to a different care model. This report may set out legislative measures or procedures which might be implemented to faci…

I was happy to support all of the early sections we flew through because I support the Bill. It is doing something important. Addressing the question of the three-year cap is really constructive and the amendments on a house being sold are positive also. There are many very good measures in the Bill. This is not challenging those measures. It is addressing a scenario. I am highlighting an issue. There is the idea that people stay in their homes for as long as they can. I worked with older people throughout the coun…

I commend the Minister of State on the dementia hours she has secured because I know it is something that she and former Senator Kelleher campaigned for in the last Oireachtas. I also commend the former Government Senator, Deputy Colm Burke. The regulation of home care legislation he put forward as a back bencher, and which I strongly supported, was important and good legislation. I urge the Minister of State, as she considers the roll-out, to look to that regulation of home care legislation brought forward by the …

I move amendment No. 4: In page 59, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following: “ Report 33 . The Minister shall, within 12 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas outlining any trends or impacts identified in relation to the Scheme in terms of its intersection with the implementation of Directive 2010/41/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2010.”. This amendment is related to amendments Nos. 5 and 6 but they are marked as being taken separat…

I will push back a little bit on this. I am constructive and reasonable. Let us be clear: nothing I am putting in this amendment counteracts what the Minister of State is doing or undermines it. We should remember that legislation is legislation. Legislation does not just belong to the Government. It is not just what the Government would like to be discussed. Legislation is what others see as relevant to it and my amendments have been deemed as relevant. I have suffered many times at the other end of the scale when…

I am referring to social protection contributions in respect of another person. That is why I mentioned that directive. I am referring to social protection contributions in terms of a person, a family member or a spouse assisting the person concerned. That is the missing piece of the puzzle. I hope we are able to tackle it; perhaps in the social welfare Bill when it comes before us in the autumn. It is one aspect we might need to address.

No. I will withdraw it.

I move amendment No. 5: In page 59, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following: “Report 33. The Minister shall, within 12 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas outlining any provisions, procedures or measures implemented in respect of pay related social insurance contributions made for spouses on farms where a farm is being assessed for financial contribution to the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, which report may include recommendations regarding further potential…

I am very relieved to hear what the Minister of State said about the Succession Act. It is perhaps unhelpful that it is the same term, but it is a matter to be teased out. I would appreciate if she could provide me with a note on successors and the Succession Act. It would be useful and reassuring to people. In the context of those inheritance issues, the recognition of the role of spouses is hard won and anything that could erode that would be a concern. It is good that the Minister of State has outlined the prima…

I move amendment No. 6: In page 59, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following: “Report 33. The Minister shall, in any review of the Scheme or the operations of this Act or the Principal Act, include an analysis of the impact of the amendments of this Act and a review and recommendations in respect of social protection entitlements of family members of the person who has entered into the Nursing Homes Support Scheme.”.

Well done to the Minister of State. I commend her on the Bill. I know from the previous Oireachtas the real care she brings and the work she has done for those who are most vulnerable, their families and those around them. This is a very positive Bill and a very positive step forward. I commend her on that and look forward to engaging further on the issues we highlighted. I think the Minister of State understands they will be key, important parts around changing the perspective and experience of those who are older…

I indicate my strong support for Senator Boyhan's amendment. It is a good reminder and comes at a crucial point. It would anchor the purposes of the Bill and recognise the essential involvement and contribution of members of local authorities. It is an appropriate place for this strong amendment. The Minister will be aware that I tabled amendments on Committee Stage which I have not reintroduced because they have been pressed. I would like a section of the Bill to be stronger and clearer about public, social and af…

I move amendment No. 3: In page 12, to delete lines 19 to 21 and substitute the following: “(2) Not later than 31 October 2022 and every year thereafter, the Agency shall furnish a report to the Minister, to be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas, regarding progress made by the Agency and subsidiary DACs towards achieving the purposes of this Act, which shall include but not be limited to: (a) a breakdown of social dwellings delivered in each local authority area; (b) a breakdown of cost rental dwellings deli…

Questions came from members of the Government regarding the review. My amendments concern the review and are intended to try to strengthen it. This amendment asks that "Not later than 31 October 2022" a report be provided breaking down the numbers of social, cost rental and affordable houses in each local authority area. We hear social and affordable housing being bundled together constantly. There are, though, many different aspects contained within those categories. I refer to social housing, which is public hous…

The key is that when the land is gone, it is gone.

I am allowed to respond.

I am responding to the debate. I pushed for this urgency of reflection because although we will be using State land, once the land enters the LDA's stock it will no longer be State land. Section 59 states that it will no longer be State land but land owned by the LDA, a commercial entity in which two Ministers are shareholders and they may dispose of those shares. That is the concern. By having a three-year plan, we will see what has happened up to that point. Of course not everything will have been transferred but…

I welcome the Minister to the House to discuss this and recognise this previous engagement with this House on it. I acknowledge the very sincere engagement by colleagues from right across the House and from every party who have spoken about this issue. I speak tonight on behalf of Senator Black, who has engaged very closely with many of the families of the survivors of Jadotville. She regrets she cannot be here. As somebody who has watched these debates and not been the key speaker in them in the past, there is no …