Michael Cahill
Kerry · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“I call on the Minister for housing and local government to intervene in a most urgent matter in County Kerry where subcontractors to Uisce Éireann are being left to wait for two, three or four months without being paid for work that has been carried out. This is not acceptable.”
“With delayed payments, interest should be applied to overdue accounts paid to contractors similar to local authorities, utilities and other bodies that have this payment system. Why not Uisce Éireann? Why should it be allowed to get off scot-free especially with the manner in which it is blackguarding contractors and subcontractors?”
“This is inexcusable. It must be addressed immediately. Contractors and subcontractors to Uisce Éireann are experiencing unacceptable delays. There are huge issues with issuing purchase orders, POs - orders are issued weekly and often contractors wait two months to get PO.”
“On contacting payables by email, contractors are told invoices were not processed or picked up from the previous Monday and there is no payment on the Friday. Furthermore, there is no payment run at the end of the month, which means contractors are waiting another couple of weeks which has been the case.”
“People are flabbergasted by these quotations. People are expected to pay that while contractors are not being paid by Irish Water. They are waiting four months. Uisce Éireann is well able to charge people, but when it comes to payments it is a totally different story.”
“Will the Minister of State please request that Uisce Éireann addresses this incompetence in its payment systems and work with contractors to address these issues?”
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“In Kerry, from larger towns such as Tralee, Killarney or Listowel to the smaller towns of Kenmare, Killorglin, Castleisland, Dingle and Cahersiveen and our smaller villages and communities such as Milltown, Castlemaine, Rathmore, Sneem, Waterville, Fieries, Faha, Beaufort, Templenoe, Headford, Chapeltown, Knight's Town, Castlegregory, Ballydavid, Clahane, Annascaul, Farranfore - I could go on - the local post office is often one of the last remaining public-facing services. It is where people collect their pensions, pay their bills and access financial services, where our children commence their savings, and just as importantly, where we meet neighbours and maintain social connections. For many elderly citizens especially, it is a lifeline.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the vital role of our post office network, particularly in counties like Kerry where our post offices are the very heartbeat of our towns and villages. I sincerely thank the Government for its continued commitment to this network, in particular the approval of €75 million over the next five years. That investment sends a clear and strong signal that this Government recognises the social and economic importance of post offices in both rural and urban Ireland.”
“Decent grant aid would go a significant way to bringing life back to these regions and encouraging people to build and live in south and west Kerry. As I mentioned already, Corca Dhuibhne and Uíbh Ráthaigh are beautiful parts of the world. It is sad to see our hospitals struggling. I have raised this issue on the floor of the House previously. I have also raised the matter of depopulation and called for a pilot study to be carried out in south Kerry that would benefit the entire country.”
“We know this all too well from the difficulties that West Kerry Community Hospital on the west Kerry peninsula and, indeed, Cahersiveen community hospital on the Iveragh Peninsula are suffering in the context of getting staff, such as nurses and doctors, to come and live in the area. We need to incentivise housing in the area. We need to provide affordable and social housing. We need to provide low-cost sites in the area. We also need to bring back the housing grants. This is the only way we will get people to return and live in these regions. They are beautiful parts of the world but scenery will not provide a living. We need to encourage people with other ideas. I call for the grants to be brought back and for housing to be provided in the context of affordable, social and low-cost sites.”
“In the west Kerry Gaeltacht, Gaeltacht Chorca Dhuibhne, we have the linguistic town of Dingle - An Daingean, Ceann Trá, Dún Chaoin, An Fheothanach agus Baile an Fheirtéaraigh. In Gaeltacht Uíbh Ráthaigh, we have the service town of Cahersiveen, Baile an Sceilg, An Dromaid, An Ghleann agus An Caladh. These are the two main Gaeltacht areas in County Kerry. There is a strong need to increase the number of Gaelic speakers in these regions. The two regions are suffering from depopulation. There is a need to incentivise Gaeilgeoirí to remain, return and come to live in the area.”
“The Minister of State is relatively new to the job. He has only being doing it for 13 or 14 months. I wish him well in his efforts. If there is anything we can do, we should all fight together to do it. I am not an expert on the European Court of Human Rights, but would it be worth our while taking a case before that court? We should leave no stone unturned when it comes to this matter. We will support the Minister of State in every way we can. I thank him for his work to date.”
“We need to ensure a future for all those involved in this area. I know that the Minister of State will do his best, as will the senior Minister and the Taoiseach, in regard to this matter. I am member of the joint fisheries and maritime committee. It is disappointing that on an almost weekly basis when the Dáil is sitting we are talking about the difficulties being faced by those involved in the industry. It is all very well to provide compensation, but I think we need to do more. Ultimately, fishermen want to fish. There is no real need to encourage the Minister of State in this regard, because I know he will do his best. However, I ask him to do everything he can to try to secure the futures of Irish fishermen and everyone else involved in the sector. That is what this is all about. It is a difficult job.”
“It is fair to say they are actually laughing at us and getting away with blue murder, which we call it in Kerry. We need to contact the Commission and the European Court of Human Rights with regard to this serious matter. Our fishing communities are going to be completely wiped out if we do not act now. It is important to preserve and rebuild our stocks, but it is also important to protect the livelihoods of all those employed in the fishing industry. We are, it is fair to say, a small island surrounded by water. We are surrounded by some of the very best fishing waters. The Minister of State's heart is in the right place. I know he is spending more than 24-7 at this. He has been to Europe and Brussels at high-powered meetings. We have to keep at this in order to try to reverse what is happening.”
“At the outset, I acknowledge the tremendous work the Minister of State is putting into this area at a very difficult time. He has visited every single fishing community at this stage. He is working night and day on this, meeting all the people involved in the industry, visiting fishing communities, meeting fishermen and fisherwomen, and owners of processing plants which export our fish and shellfish all over the globe. This is an extremely difficult time. The Minister of State has inherited a problem. The industry has suffered serious and savage cuts, going back to when we joined the EU, more recently during Brexit and with the 70% cut in our mackerel quota and 41% cut in our blue whiting quota. We have to tackle the issue of Norway, the UK, the Faroe Islands and Iceland.”
“This vital project would lessen the need for many Kerry patients to travel to hospitals in Cork, Limerick, Dublin and abroad for cancer treatments, many in multiple trips. The temporary oncology unit in UHK could not cope with the more than 5,000 patients treated there last year. I pay tribute to my great and loyal friend, and director of elections, Brian Sugrue, a wonderful human being, who passed away this morning, in the early hours, after a long battle with illness. Brian had a very special and personal interest in this project. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his wife Maureen, his son John, his daughter Eva and the extended Sugrue and Foley families. I commit to pursuing a new oncology unit for the people of Kerry in Brian's memory.”
“A new stand-alone oncology unit for University Hospital Kerry is vital for all cancer patients and their families in Kerry. I impress upon the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health the urgent requirement to have a stand-alone oncology-haematology unit on the grounds of UHK to provide Kerry patients with the dignity, privacy and comfort they deserve during one of the most challenging periods of their lives. The Comfort for Chemo Kerry committee, a wonderful organisation, has already raised over €1.5 million in funds, and a site has been designated for the purpose within the UHK campus. This project is extremely important for Kerry, and I am anxious that it proceed as soon as possible. The delays only mean an escalation in costs for an already costly undertaking.”
“They will indicate where funding should and should not go. As I mentioned, a host of areas need urgent attention, including Rossbeigh, Incherea, Dooks in Glenbeigh, lower Bridge Street in Killorglin near the fishery, Cromane Lower, which is critical, Glosha, Whitestrand in Cahersiveen where the public toilets and car park are at risk, Waterville, Ballinskelligs, and the Kenmare and Tralee flood relief schemes.”
“I thank the Minister of State. I acknowledge that he visited Kerry and Rossbeigh, where I live, and saw for himself the situation there. There will be a public meeting at 6.30 p.m. this evening in the Towers Hotel. The Minister of State also visited Cromane where homes have been destroyed in the past. I have been in houses when there was 3 ft of saltwater in them. In 2015, I was a member of a deputation that came here to discuss the cliff road in Rossbeigh, where 16 houses had been cut off. We were told by the then Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Deputy Simon Harris, that pilot studies needed to be carried out and that he did not want deputations coming up to the Dáil every couple of weeks. It took ten years for the pilot studies to be completed.”
“We need coastal protection works, flood relief schemes and marram grass initiatives, among other initiatives. We need to expedite funding for these schemes. From my experience, and I have been shouting about coastal erosion and flooding for almost 40 years now, this situation is not given the urgency it deserves. We seem to wait until the damage is done after big storms where there has been major flooding and homes have been destroyed. I am dealing with families living in fear when the tides are high, especially when they coincide with storms. They cannot sleep in their beds at night. I will mention another issue we spoke about recently, which is the whole area of insurance. I am coming across numerous families who cannot get home insurance.”
“I am raising the matter of funding for a host of locations across County Kerry, including Rossbeigh, Cromane Lower, Killorglin, Whitestrand, Cahersiveen, Waterville, Ballinskelligs and the major flood relief schemes there for Tralee and Kenmare.”
“That work was carried out about 15 years ago and they cannot get insurance. Insurance is a huge issue for homeowners as well as businesses.”
“These individuals and families cannot sleep in their beds at night when there is any sort of a strong tide and it is exacerbated when it coincides with a storm. I also want to raise an issue that I mentioned to the Minister of State recently. I know he is working on this with the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, regarding insurance for businesses. I would like to include homeowners in that category. They can get insurance for fire and theft and everything else but not for flooding. I was contacted recently by a family which, for the past 40 years, had no problem getting insurance. They are after spending tens of thousands of euro reinstating the embankment. The Department, with the work being carried out by Kerry County Council, provided a second line of defence. The family is absolutely confident that they will never again be flooded.”
“I raise again the issue of flooding in Cromane, which the Minister of State visited, and coastal erosion in Rossbeigh. In Killorglin town, at Lower Bridge Street, properties are being affected by flooding on a regular basis. I was contacted recently about the area at the fishery which is subject to flooding as well. We need help and I know the Minister of State has said time and again that there is plenty of money available. I hope Kerry County Council is engaging with the Minister of State regarding these areas. For the residents of Cromane Lower, the very strong tides over the past month will continue until the end of the month. Every year, on St. Patrick's Day, the high tide is a big problem.”
“Gloster, mentioned something at the last meeting - this was only in the past two weeks - which was that we should not be looking back but looking forward. I hope that will be the case for all the families involved and that they can get on with their lives and flourish in every sense. I wish them the very best and good health and happiness going forward.”
“I acknowledge the work that has been done here. I call for the outstanding cases to be expedited and dealt with as soon as possible. I recall the first and second time I was up here and one of the representatives of the recent hunger strikers. I acknowledge the fact that at the time, the HSE issued an apology but I reiterate a call I have made many times, which is that they deserve a public apology from the Taoiseach. I have spoken with the Taoiseach recently on this matter and the Minister of State might engage with him on that matter. It is the least these families and individuals deserve. It is important all cases are dealt with as soon as possible both in north and south Kerry. It is also important the north Kerry CAMHS review is published. To be honest, I am raising it all the time. The CEO of the HSE, Mr.”
“I had included the whole lot in the one question but it must have been divided or whatever. I have been in the houses of these young individuals who were affected and they were like zombies. Many of these people are the brightest you will ever come across, not only in this country but in the world. Their intelligence and everything else is beyond description. I know one young lady who is fluent in the Japanese language, for example. I wish to mention Davin Godfrey, who has been a spokesperson for the CAMHS families in Kerry. He is from Listowel and is going to train to be a lawyer. His story fascinated me. I spent two and a half hours with him, his mum and his grandmother a number of years ago. I remember the day because it was the day the late Senator, Paul Coghlan, was being waked. I went from Killarney to their home in Listowel.”
“Lives were ruined, to be honest. They were mis-medicated and misdiagnosed. In the early days, little did we know that there were hundreds involved. We all know about the north Kerry CAMHS situation that followed. It is hugely important that all these people involved, including their families, are receiving the right services today. I sincerely hope a similar type of situation will never again arise. I am not sure what happened to the Topical Issue I submitted but it was two-pronged; it was about north Kerry as well. I sincerely hope it is a similar case in north Kerry and that the individuals and their families are being dealt with. A question that has been asked time and again relates to the north Kerry CAMHS lookback review, which is long overdue. I know it is not in the question but I do not know what happened there.”
“At the outset, I acknowledge the tremendous work that the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, has carried out over many years now. Absolutely no one knows more about the CAMHS scandal, as it is now known, in Kerry than the Minister of State. I acknowledge that at all times when meetings were requested, etc., she agreed to attend. As a councillor many years ago now, I was invited up by the south Kerry CAMHS families. I was the first in Kerry to be asked to come up to try to help in what was a horrendous ordeal for many individuals and young children, many of whom are now young adults. In that context, I thank the Minister of State. Are all the individuals concerned sorted out with regard to compensation and services? I know many of these families and individuals personally. I have dealt with them for a long time.”
“Due to the increased cost of the bovine TB programme in recent years, the Government's focus should now be on reducing the levels of the disease and, if at all possible, eradicating it. This will reduce the impact on Irish farm families and reduce the cost of the programme, which has risen year on year and stood at over €121 million in 2025. The Government must do everything possible to eradicate this disease.”
“I raise the matter of compensation ceilings currently in place for tuberculosis, TB, reactors. I am acutely aware of the emotional and financial impacts of bovine TB on farmers and their families. An outbreak of TB can be soul-destroying. The on-farm market valuation scheme is the principal compensation measure available to farmers who experience a TB outbreak in their herd. The scheme aims to compensate farmers up to the open market value of the animal. The compensation under the on-farm market valuation scheme is payable subject to ceilings. If the actual value of the animal exceeds the ceiling, the farmer is at a loss. I know of families who were left out of pocket, in some cases involving thousands of euro. We must do everything possible to help these farmers and ensure they are adequately compensated.”
“It is fair to say there is huge disquiet with regard to this issue. Farmers across the country, and indeed at home in Kerry, are very angry. It is fair to say we pride ourselves on the quality of our beef and the high standards we set. Farmers have been subjected to onerous inspections regularly. I appreciate that there have been a number of calls for the chairman of Bord Bia to resign. I think the right thing to do at this stage is to wait and see what develops tomorrow at the agriculture committee meeting, but it is important to say that there is huge anger out there with regard to this issue. It is a shame that it has come to this following so closely on the Mercosur deal and vote. Tensions are high at the moment. I just hope for all our sakes that this comes to the right conclusion.”
“I would also like to raise Loughfouder National School in Knocknagoshel, where the roof of a SET and sensory room has collapsed due to severe weather. The school has no alternative space and children with special educational needs are now without a safe environment. Emergency funding is urgently required. I also want to raise Aghatubrid National School, Filemore National School, Coláiste na Sceilge and Scoil Saidhbhín in Caherciveen, each of which requires urgent attention. I would also like to mention-----”
“I want to raise a number of urgent school issues affecting school principals, teachers, children and parents across County Kerry. In an urban primary school in Killarney, Presentation Monastery National School, more than 85% of pupils do not speak English at home, with 44 nationalities among the 170 pupils. Despite this, there is no DEIS primary school in the Killarney area. Over the past two years, the school has lost two English-language teaching posts and a full SNA, which severely impacts its ability to support the children of parents working for minimum wage and in the hospitality sector. I ask that the school's case for DEIS status be urgently reviewed, along with other schools in Killarney.”
“The Ring of Kerry itself is 70% substandard. It is officials who are saying that, not just me. The last point I want to make is around the development levies in the context of waterworks. The bills are astronomical and prohibitive to development as well. Irish Water needs to look at those.”
“Cahersiveen is probably the longest town on the Ring of Kerry or on any national route in Ireland. The street is completely lopsided. There have been accidents not alone with pedestrians but also vehicles. That is in urgent need of funding. The Killarney bypass has been raised here on a number of occasions and the town itself is choked with traffic on a daily basis. A bypass is urgently needed. Funding has been provided this year and last year to kickstart the project. I ask that it be expedited. Killorglin town has a similar story in that the town is also choked on a daily basis, especially in morning and evening time when the schools open and close. For traffic coming through, Killorglin is the gateway to the Iveragh Peninsula. I also wish to mention the Tralee to Camp to Dingle road, the N86.”
“I wish to raise a number of issues in Kerry that I have raised previously in this Chamber, starting with the road realignment and footpath out from Laune bridge in Killorglin out as far as the Fexco research, development and innovation, RDI, hub at Anglont on the Killorglin-Killarney road. This campaign by the residents is going on for at least 40 years now. It was going on in my father's time. Residents there, Kerry County Council officials and all politicians in Kerry are frustrated beyond belief that this is taking so long. I ask that it be prioritised as soon as possible and that we get on the ladder of funding this year, if at all possible. I wish to mention the Cahersiveen town road and footpaths project. That, too, is a chronic situation for the business community, the community at large and indeed visitors to the area.”
“This Bill must be about more than intentions. It must deliver practical solutions on the ground, supporting providers to recruit and retain staff, valuing experience as well as qualifications and ensuring childcare places are available in every community, not just on paper but in reality. I urge the Minister to continue listening to those on the ground, such as providers like Scamps and Scholars, educators across County Kerry and the parents who are struggling every day to balance work and family life. If we get this right, we strengthen families, support children and protect the future of early years education in this country. I thank the Minister for her work in this area.”
“The introduction of an employment regulation order has been a step forward in recognising qualifications, but experience must also be valued. Years of experience and service, professional commitment and expertise need to be reflected properly in pay structures if we want to retain staff. If we fail to act, the consequences are clear, namely fewer staff, fewer childcare places, longer waiting lists, greater pressure on families and reduced workforce participation, particularly for women. This is not sustainable. Childcare providers are not asking for special treatment. They are asking for real sustainable investment, fair play and professional recognition for the people who educate and care for our youngest children. Families are asking for certainty such that when they plan to return to work, childcare places will actually be available.”
“This has directly resulted in long waiting lists and huge frustration for parents and for staff and management, not because demand is not there but because the staff simply are not. At the heart of the problem are pay and conditions. Early years educators play a vital role in children's development and in supporting working families, yet their work continues to be undervalued. The starting rate of pay in many settings is the minimum wage of €13.65 per hour, while the current living wage is €14.75. The gap between the two matters, particularly in the context of the rising cost of living. Skilled and dedicated staff are leaving the sector in growing numbers, often moving to special needs assistant roles or other areas where their qualifications and experience are better recognised and rewarded.”
“We have them in Killarney, Rathmore, Cahersiveen, Dingle, Castleisland and Kenmare to mention just a few. However, the issue they all have income is the lack of places. A major reason for this is the shortage of staff. I want to highlight correspondence I received from Scamps and Scholars in Killorglin, one of the largest childcare centres in Kerry, which has been operating successfully for over 25 years. I was a member of the board of management there for quite a number of years. I know first-hand the tremendous work carried out by the staff and board of management. Despite their experience and commitment, they find themselves in a critical situation. They are struggling to recruit and retain staff. There are only 12 full-time educators. The remainder of the staff are work part-time.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill and to place on record the very real pressures facing families and childcare providers across County Kerry. While affordability is often discussed, the fundamental issue for many families is access. Quite simply, childcare places are not available. Parents contact my office daily to say that they are on multiple waiting lists and that there are no places coming up. This is having a serious knock-on effect. Parents cannot either return to work or increase their hours. They are under significant financial strain as a result. This is not an abstract policy issue. It is affecting household incomes, workforce participation and family well-being. We have top-class childcare facilities across the county of Kerry, as the Minister is well aware.”
“We must give an opportunity to those on middle incomes. They are caught between social housing and being able to afford to build their own homes. I believe the modular home is a solution. Low-cost sites are an incentive there as well to help these people get on the property ladder. To achieve this, yet again, as I mentioned, we have over 40 unsewered villages in County Kerry and a number of others that are at capacity; we need to provide wastewater treatment in these areas. Again, I am emphasising that constructed wetlands is one of the solutions. It is much cheaper and much faster to put in place. We need to get the ball rolling in addressing the housing crisis.”
“The constructed wetlands are a much cheaper and faster form of wastewater treatment. There are so many areas in need. We can make a real impact here if we do that.”
“In every corner of County Kerry today, there are individuals, couples and families who wish to build or buy a family home. Even though they are in good jobs, they cannot get a mortgage big enough to buy or build. These are nurses in University Hospital Kerry, teachers, members of an Garda Síochána, employees of good companies like Liebherr and Fexco in Killorglin, etc. Constituents who I am meeting on a daily basis are telling me they would be more than happy with a modular home. A good quality modular home will last 70, 80 or 90 years. In regard to achieving this, I have been hammering the point that Uisce Éireann needs to roll out a scheme of constructed wetlands across County Kerry, in my case. We have more than 40 villages unsewered and many more that are at capacity, including my own village.”
“I commend the Minister and his junior Ministers on the tireless work they are doing on the housing crisis. Will the Minister provide funding to Kerry County Council to construct modular homes as part of the solution for social and affordable housing? Will the Minister allow Kerry County Council to grant planning permission to individuals and families who wish to construct a modular home? Will the Minister roll out a scheme of low-cost sites across County Kerry?”
“On drinking water and water quality, there is still a large amount of asbestos pipes bringing water to people's homes in Kerry. It is about time they were replaced. Deputy O'Meara referred earlier to parliamentary questions for Uisce Éireann. We should be getting replies. We should be entitled to ask and get an answer on any specific sewerage scheme. I also want to ask about Fenit. Finally, regarding constructed wetlands, is it a matter for Kerry County Council to apply for them or do we have to wait for Uisce Éireann to announce a scheme? Is there a process there? When will we know exactly? I know money is there now going forward and that is very welcome but we need action. We need to start building these schemes to address the housing crisis.”
“Many villages, such as Castlegregory, Fenit, Beaufort as the Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae, mentioned, Cromane, Portmagee, Ballyduff, Duagh and Scartaglin, are affected. I wish to mention in regard to Beaufort that the Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae, is correct. Irish Water told me last year that it will take another seven years. Some €6 million was announced over two years ago for that scheme, which was increased to €7 million recently. We are talking about ten years to get a scheme completed from start to finish. That is too long. Constructed wetlands are the way forward, especially for the smaller populated areas including all the villages I have mentioned. If there is a bigger population, why not put in two constructed wetlands, or three, indeed? They are much cheaper and faster and they are environmentally friendly.”
“I am going to raise the matter of constructed wetlands again. I have been hammering this issue for quite some time now as a member of Kerry County Council and since I have been elected to Dáil Éireann. We have numerous estates all over Kerry that have huge problems with wastewater treatment. We have over 40 villages in Kerry that are unsewered. We have many more that are at capacity, including my own one in Glenbeigh. The south Kerry greenway received €9.2 million the other day to progress the works there. We opened the first completed section on 19 December last, bringing crowds from everywhere. I have had two separate inquiries in regards to consortiums that want to build hotels in the area. We cannot progress them because there is no sewerage scheme, or the sewerage scheme is at capacity.”
“With the right investment and policy leadership, we can build a home support system that truly meets people's needs. I welcome the Bill and ask that the Minister of State look closely at County Kerry's situation. We need more home support and carers.”
“It is critical that the Government fully implement a statutory home care support scheme with guaranteed entitlements and national quality standards; invest significantly in workforce recruitment and retention, including pay, training and career pathways; address the rural-urban disparities in waiting lists and targeted regional strategies; reform carer's allowance and supports to reflect modern care demands and reduce administrative delays; and increase home support funding in future budgets to close the gap with residential care investment. Home support is more than a service. It is a lifeline that enables dignity, independence and quality of life. Today's statistics show that Ireland's ageing population and rising demand make reform urgent.”
“The 18.5 hour limit on carers' working hours has an impact on continuity of care and recruitment as some carers cannot work additional hours without losing support. The Home Care Coalition, a group of more than 20 organisations, has called for increased investment and has highlighted that home support receives significantly less funding than long-term residential care despite rising demand. There is strong sectoral support for the implementation of a rights-based statutory homes support scheme; a dedicated workforce strategy; carer career pathways; better pay, training and retention supports for home care workers; and reform of financial supports for family carers.”
“Ireland does not yet have a fully implemented statutory home support scheme, meaning there is no legal entitlement to home care comparable to the provisions of the fair deal scheme for residential care. This contributes to unequal access, a lack of transparency, variable standards, inconsistent waiting time data and a lack of formal quality benchmarks tailored to home care needs. There are financial and administrative barriers for carers. Family carers are under significant strain. Many face long waits of more than four months for decisions on carer's allowance appeals, exacerbating financial stress. Current eligibility rules and means tests for carers' supports are seen by advocacy groups as outdated and not reflective of modern care realities.”
“In large parts of Kerry, only a handful of carers have been hired for more than year. The average time to hire a home care worker can be long, which compounds delays in service provision. Workforce scarcity contributes directly to waiting lists and limits the number of home support hours available to clients. The Department of Health has criticised the HSE for rationing home care hours to stay within budget. This practice is seen as having negative impacts on individuals' health and on patient flows through the wider health system. Although the provision of home support hours has increased compared with previous years, the system is still under strain and access can feel arbitrary without statutory entitlement. There is a lack of statutory home support rights.”
“The waiting list in Cork-Kerry is the longest. It is equivalent to 25% of the national waiting list. That has to be addressed. I recently received a reply from the HSE regarding respite care. It said that, unfortunately, due to exceptionally high demand for respite services, the HSE was only able to allocate a maximum of two weeks' respite to clients requesting it. This is a new change. The service has been halved. Families usually got four weeks. My office is dealing with numerous cases in west Kerry, throughout the Iveragh Peninsula, in mid-Kerry, in east Kerry and in north Kerry. It is just adding to the pressures on families who wish to look after their loved ones in the home. Persistent problems with recruitment and retention hinder service delivery. In some rural counties, recruitment has been extremely low.”
“Home support services are vital for our older people, people with disabilities and their families. They allow individuals to live independently in their communities and their homes and help to reduce pressure on hospitals and residential care settings. Despite ongoing investment, the home support system in Ireland is facing deepening challenges that require urgent policy attention and sustained resourcing. It is fair to say that the majority of us wish to keep our loved ones at home for as long as possible. Today, 5,500 to 6,000 people remain on home care waiting lists in Ireland. Waiting times vary significantly by region. People in rural areas wait far longer than those in urban centres. In the Cork-Kerry region, some 1,300 people are on waiting lists due to staffing shortages. This represents nearly a quarter of the national total.”