McCarthy puts 'home help' services on Assembly agenda

2.28.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 25th Sep 2008

Alliance Health Spokesperson Kieran McCarthy MLA

Alliance Health Spokesperson Kieran McCarthy MLA is putting increasing 'home help' services on the Assembly agenda with his motion on the issue due to be debated on Monday. He said that the Stormont Executive parties are failing order people.

Kieran McCarthy MLA stated: "I am proposing a motion in the Assembly on Monday afternoon to ensure that every older person in Northern Ireland has access to adequate 'home help' service. In recent months we have heard about people who have had their home help cut drastically. This is simply not on.

"I believe that these cuts are coming as a result of Peter Robinson's budget, which he designed when he was Finance Minister. We need to see efficiencies; however, they must not be in frontline services like home help. Efficiencies can be made by ending segregation and streamlining administrative work, but key care services cannot and should not be cut.

"The Executive parties need to ask themselves - What sort of society does not adequately take care of its older people?

"Older people have worked all their lives, have contributed greatly in tax and National Insurance payments - The least they should expect is to be looked after when they need assistance.

"I have campaigned tirelessly for the provision of free personal care and I will keep fighting to improve the treatment of older people because the Executive is failing them. Having the best possible home help service is a key part of delivering for older people. Monday's debate affords Assembly Members a golden opportunity to put the case for first-class services and gives the Minister the chance to strengthen the service."

ENDS