Parliamentary Secretary for Active Aging Justyne Caruana said that the €12 million disability hub was in fact proposed by a committee of experts.

She said the hub would include purpose built residential housing, and provide accommodation for 60 residence. She said the second part would include a day centre, as well as an administrative area. “The third part would have a gymnasium, heated pool etc, which can be used by residents and outsiders”. She said prime property was identified by Parliamentary Secretary Michael Falzon.

The committee was set up to form ideas on how to improve the lives of persons with disability, as well as a hostel.

The hub will also include restaurants and shops managed by persons with disability.

“The past two budgets prove how dedicated this government is to helping persons with disability”.

She was addressing the debate regarding the budget for the Ministry for Family and Social Solidarity.

Dr Caruana said that a national focal point as per the convention for the rights of persons with disability was set up, adding that they are reviewing national structures to ensure they are in line with the convention.

She said next year, a law will be presented allowing persons with disability to have a voice on government boards.

As for residential homes,” it seems the Opposition has yet to understand the concept of small community homes,” adding that they work in a different way. She said that the first one was inaugurated today. “This will address persons with intellectual disability, and every home we open will address different needs. Today, meeting the two residents already there, I felt great satisfaction as they were passing through a hard time, and now have hope for the future”.

She mentioned that a home in Gozo will soon open. “I anticipate that everything will be in place by the end of the year”. She said works are underway on two more homes, which she anticipates will open by the end of the year.

The Parliamentary Secretary spoke about public transport, where all persons with disability can make use of the reduction in fares.

Turning to the elderly, she said her heart breaks when elderly persons tell her they want to be back in their homes but not in care homes. “We need to give them the best possible life in their own homes,” she said.

Turning to the waiting lists for elderly care homes, she said half the elderly persons in care homes do not need to be there. “We found people who were on the waiting list since 1996”.

She said that the current system is seeing positive results.

She said that the proposal regarding home carers will allow the elderly persons to live in their homes and keep their quality of life.  The hiring of a carer can be on a full-time or part-time basis and government will pay up to a maximum of half the minimum wage. The carer’s wage and other issues will be decided between the carer and the family, not government”.

She explained that the carer must have passed through a recognised course, thus meaning that “we want to offer professional services”.

Turning to beds, she said that government has allocated €6 million to purchase beds from the private sector. By the end of this month, we will have a total of 269 new beds. She also mentioned the extension of St Vincent De Paul, which will also add more beds.

St Vincent de Paul

Turning to St Vincent De Paul, works are constantly ongoing she said, mentioning a number which began and concluded this year.

St Vincent de Paul is exempt from the national minimum standards for elderly care homes. On this point, she explained- “Experts told me St Vincent de Paul is more like a hospital than a home”. She explained that St Vincent De Paul have standards much higher than the national minimum standards. “We have never had so many mechanisms in place to ensure the quality of service”.

She mentioned the closing of the kitchen and the outsourcing of that work, adding that a report showed that the kitchen received a fail grade from health authorities due to “decades of neglect”.

She mentioned that Malta is the first country to introduce a dementia strategy that is dementia friendly.

As for elderly abuse, she said that it was this government who pushed this law forward, and mentioned that it was unanimously passed through Parliament. “We are teaching out elderly about abuse, thanks to help from the police corps”.

Previous admissions board full of political appointees

The previous admissions board for elderly care homes was full of political appointees, PL MP Franco Mercieca said.

He said that in the past, people would apply through an admissions board, who would review applications. The board was made up of political appointees, he said, adding that the choice as to who was accepted to care homes was done this way.

"We did not like this and changed it. The Opposition has been asking who forms part of the current multi-disciplinary team. The team is made up of those who form part of Karen Grech, and are, at the end of the day, service providers".

Every person who applies now goes before the board and is reviewed. He said many people applying were not eligible, where the persons applying on their behalf would not want to go to a home. He said that there are also those who can stay within the community, and that there were also those applying just because of the waiting list of 3-4 years.

"This multi-disciplinary team was suggested by geriatricians, who also told us that they suggested this previously however was not accepted".

He said that government has worked on standards, mentioning on standards for both elderly homes as well as for homes for persons with disability.

"While we are building homes for persons with disability, we began the process to establish standards and I hope these standards will soon be ready".

He asked whether the community project for geriatricians will occur, adding that it was aimed at dementia.

PL MP Etienne Grech said that social services resulted in people being able to comfortably rely on them.

He mentioned that benefits began being seen as tools even if they didn't need them. "The Prime Minister himself said that abuse will not be tolerated".

He mentioned that nearly half of the population is now working, and "they know most of their taxes are going to social benefits. They must know it goes to people who need these benefits, and not for persons who just lie around all day. I'm not saying everyone on social benefits is abusing them".

He said that the perception of social benefits being used by persons who abuse them grew as the previous administration did not do enough to tackle the problem.

 "Previous governments cut off those caught abusing benefits, and this did nothing for those who found problems in searching for jobs". He said this government is not one that looks at what it can take, but rather one that looks at what it can give you.

"The Opposition's negativity is annoying people". He mentioned that government reduced two income tax bands, asking if anyone remembered the PN promising to reduce the income tax. "This never happened under the previous government".

This government also extended benefits, he said, mentioning the in-work benefit.

PL MP Deborah Schembri spoke of the strong economy brought about by government.

She spoke of the importance of social justice, stating that when this exists, stating that when this occurs, the economy would keep growing.

She mentioned a number of incentives, such as a bonus which was given last year. "I saw what was achieved by this ministry from the last budget. The vast majority of thos measures have been implemented". She mentioned, as an example, the opportunity for payment on missed NI contributions.

"We introduced the Youth Guarantee," she said, adding that those who chose not to do anything for no reason would be cut off after four months.

She spoke about incentives for single mothers, telling them "we would pay 65% to reduce to 45% the next year, should they choose to marry to ensure they would not instantly lose their benefits.

"We also gave a chance to those who were not sure if the benefits they received were justly so".