I raise the issue of home help hours across the country, but particularly in my constituency. We have serious problems with people who have been allocated home help hours on the recommendation of the district nurse. They are allocated three calls per day of half an hour or an hour each, seven days per week, but staff cannot be got. No one can get anyone to work in the service. Even those providing services through agencies cannot get staff but it is particularly the case for HSE. I understand that SIPTU is balloting for strike action because of the issue of terms and conditions and the huge pressures there are. One of issues is that they are paid €15 to €16 per hour. These are people who work with people with disabilities and people who are in wheelchairs and use hoists to get them in and out of bed. Surely, in our society they are worth more than that. If we are to provide this service for people, we have to pay the staff properly. Earlier, we talked about the money CEOs are getting. If we put that kind of investment into providing and paying adequately the people who-----

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-----provide these services, we might have a chance of being able to provide it to people.

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Yes, Leitrim, Sligo and Donegal.

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