Mr. Jim Walsh:

They are very good points. We should look to ensure there are no barriers to services. Whether that is done through universal access or not is difficult to say, given the different living standards across the Traveller population. In the context of home-care services, the fact that they have lowered the age threshold from 50 to 40 in the analysis of healthy ageing for Travellers is an acknowledgement of premature ageing among Travellers. This could also be applied in policy with access to home-care services and I will inquire about this when I go back. I am not sure if nursing home care is the right model of care and other people will be better qualified to answer that than I. It may be that home-care packages are right because there is such a strong community focus. I will inquire about that and take advice on it.