Liz O'Donnell (Dublin South, Progressive Democrats)

I welcome the opportunity to say a few words in the time available. There has been a degree of unwarranted criticism of the Tánaiste and the Government's handling of this issue. We should be grateful that the Tánaiste, in characteristic form, took upon herself the responsibility of seeking clarity on the issue. When the matter was brought to her attention, she immediately sought clarity and brought forward reforming legislation in the House. Questions had quite rightly been asked by the Opposition. As I understand it, she was made aware of the matter when she took office, as was her predecessor. Information was available in the Department on the legality or otherwise of the deductions. The Tánaiste decided to confront the matter head-on and bring forward reforming legislation, about which she was very open in the House. She set up an inquiry in her Department as to how the matter had continued for so long and why it had not been dealt with at departmental level. She has stated the inquiry headed by Mr. John Travers has yet to report. Quite apart from all of the emotive issues which have been raised today about the care of our elderly in long-term care and the legality or otherwise of the deductions, no political party opposed the making of these charges over the years. Some 11 successive Governments found no fault in these charges, although individual Deputies have raised questions, including Deputy Sherlock, who stated that he has been doing so for 15 years. Given that the Labour Party was in Government with Fine Gael and others between 1992 and 1997, why did the party not take action then?

The kernel of tonight's debate is to be found in the Tánaiste's statement. Perhaps no one noticed that the Tánaiste, when she made her statements to the House last December when this legislation was initiated, stated that the charges had been levied in good faith and on the basis of information available to us at that time. The Taoiseach also made similar statements. The Tánaiste is now stating that she could not characterise those statements in the same way. In other words, the Tánaiste is saying that she could not say now that the charges were legally defensible and that the Department of Health and Children acted on the basis that they were. These are serious matters of public accountability which fall to this House to examine in due course, following on Mr.Travers's report.

Members who have been in this House for any length of time will recall that on previous occasions tribunals have been established by this House because of a failure to give Ministers correct information to account to this House for questions which were raised.

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