Mr. John Dolan:

Deputy Fitzpatrick spoke about the 14% cuts in recent years and he said the country is bankrupt. The country is bankrupt in the sense that we do not have income to meet expenditure. The trick for any social democratic State is to ensure we are not also socially and morally bankrupt. We have to find or try to find a way to match the growing needs with the available resources. Many people in this country are unemployed, unfortunately. That is the crux. It cannot be a case of telling people that we are broke, that they should go away and return when we are flush. I know the Deputy does not mean it that way.

Deputy Naughten spoke about the lack of joined-up thinking between acute and community care and the possibility of savings. I am loath to talk about the savings. The issue is that we have a big demographic profile in this area. Ironically, the success in the health area over the past 15 years in bringing down the mortality rate has increased the morbidity rate. We did not take this on board. People who survive strokes do not go out to play football the next day; they have conditions and suffer losses as a result. It is the case that, thank God, more people with disabilities are being born who would not have survived to birth ten or 20 years ago. According to the Health Research Board, the number of people waiting for personal assistant services, home help services and care attendant services equals the number of people who have these services. Therefore, the demographic factor must be considered in the equation.

Deputy Byrne referred to the work of home helps. I spoke about trying to get some kind of national cohesion, some kind of social plan from the Government. Many community groups and organisations could be supported as part of an overall Government approach. She is correct that it should involve neighbours and local groups befriending people and this is what voluntary groups do. Then the very particular skill-sets and services that are required can be marshalled and people can be paid to provide them.

I thank all the members for their interest.