Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)

I wish to share time with Deputy Connaughton.

The horror story of Leas Cross nursing home shown last night has left a huge impact on Irish society. People were appalled to see large pressure sores on frail elderly people and flesh sores measuring eight or nine inches, with the holes going as far as the bone. The sheets were not changed so elderly people lay on wet sheets throughout the night. Care assistants shouted and intimidated elderly people, who shouted that they did not want to be dressed or undressed and wanted the care assistants to get away from them. I thought the use of restraining chairs was a thing of the past. There were patients walking around undressed from the waist down and residents walking around gardens at 7.30 in the morning seeking assistance. It was an appalling scenario.

The nursing home, the HSE and the Department of Health and Children were all aware of what was happening and must take responsibility for much of it. I am not making a political issue of this as I want something to be done. I welcome the statements and decisions made by the Minister of State, but the reality is somewhat different.

The recent report from the National Council on Aging and Older People revealed concrete evidence of discrimination against the elderly in health and social services. This is not new, as there have been a series of reports and investigations by Government and non-governmental groups into services for the elderly. Usually, the Government uses these reports as a shield to protect itself against claims of inaction in improving services for the elderly. I regret this is the route taken in the case, also.

The delay in establishing an independent inspectorate for nursing homes, which has been promised time and time again over the years, is a scandal that cannot be allowed to continue. In the past, people pointed the finger and said Members of Dáil Éireann were responsible. Since being elected to this House, however, I have consistently raised the need for legislation to address serious problems arising in nursing homes. I compliment Deputy O'Dowd and the Fine Gael Party generally for having raised these matters. The Labour Party has also raised these issues repeatedly and last night's television programme took the matter on board. On three or four occasions during the past nine months, I have called for the establishment of a nursing homes inspectorate. I furnished the media with reports and sent copies of them to specialist correspondents in various newspapers, but it did not seem to be a sexy issue for them. We were dealing with elderly people who in many cases could not support themselves. I warmly welcome the details that emerged from the television programme last night. I hope that, together, we can improve the environment in which elderly people live.

There is no statutory requirement to inspect the State's 500 public nursing homes which care for more than 10,000 people. Furthermore, there is insufficient staff to inspect all private nursing homes at least twice a year, as required under the Health (Nursing Homes) Act 1990. The Minister of State, Deputy Sean Power, may tell the media that he has only been in office for eight months but the facts have been well known to the Minister's predecessors in the Department of Health and Children, as well as to the departmental officials.

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