Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The heads of the medical practitioners Bill were approved by Government in June 2004. Further heads are expected this year and the Bill should be published early next year. With regard to the matter raised by the Deputy, everyone would be concerned about circumstances in which elderly people have a less than happy experience in their interaction with the public services, whether the health service or any other service. In my experience of talking to older people as a constituency Deputy, however, they have had nothing but praise for the way in which they have been treated. Elderly people use the health service much more regularly than others, such as those of us who talk about it but thankfully do not have to use it too often. My information is that elderly people have nothing but the height of praise for the people who deal with them. If there are individual cases in which issues arise, one does not welcome them. However, it is not accurate to suggest that those elderly people who interface with the services are not well cared for.

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