Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)

The Fine Gael motion calls for the introduction of a uniform assessment criteria for all nursing home, and nothing could be more simple. The motion was prompted by the revelation in RTE's "Prime Time" programme on Monday night. The Government has seriously neglected the care of the elderly for years. This morning the Taoiseach made a feeble attempt to say that inspections were carried out on a regular basis. Deputy Kenny exposed the fact that just 80 out of more than 200 nursing homes were inspected in one year. Notification of these inspections was given. There was to be no notice for a second inspection, but there was no second inspection that year.

This crisis did not arise now. As far back as 1989, seven years ago, when the present Government was in power, the National Council on Aging and Older People submitted to Government a report on abuse but nothing was done about it. The Government gave a commitment to establish a social services inspectorate in An Agreed Programme for Government in 2002 but nothing was done. This morning the Taoiseach said legislation will not be introduced in this term to deal with the problem. The problems in public and private nursing homes are far more widespread than is accepted generally.

I am sure other Deputies have been made aware of many problems the elderly experience in nursing homes. There are excellent nursing homes, from which I do not want to take away, but this publicity is tarring everyone with the same brush in the way politicians are tarred with the same brush because of the actions of some unscrupulous politicians.

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