Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

The health spend amounts to approximately 25% of what the Government spends on a day-to-day basis. There are still huge deficiencies in our health service right across the board. Resources are not unlimited. They are finite. If the economy was not doing so well, we would not be able to spend even the kind of resources we are spending. We must make choices. Clearly, in that context, choices are made in terms of the supports given and where people can assist in helping to meet the cost of their care. There is a problem, not easily solved, regarding the need to sell a basic family home in advance of the passing away of an individual. This causes considerable trauma for the kinds of reasons that Deputy Ó Caoláin has suggested. Issues might arise subsequent to the death where a sum of money might be paid in lieu of the care given as a contribution, which we need to consider and needs to form part of our policy thinking. There is a big difference between those with considerable resources and those with the basic family home. Circumstances differ. In some cases people have let their homes in the Dublin area and are receiving substantial rent each month.

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