Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)

I wish to share time with Deputy McManus, whom I thank for introducing this motion to enable the House to debate the dire state of the health service in this very wealthy country. I want to address the Labour Party proposal to put in place supports at community level so that patients, particularly elderly patients, can be cared for in their own homes and communities. I want to debunk the humbug and hypocrisy of that part of the Government amendment which commends the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, on having a specific focus on the needs of older people. I will demonstrate the hypocrisy of the Government's position.

Home helps are neighbours or friends who provide essential care to the elderly at home and enable older citizens to live in dignity and some degree of comfort in their own homes. They do housework, cooking and shopping. Until recently, some home helps were paid at a rate that would be expected by a Filipino hairdresser on Irish Ferries. Their trade union, however, was successful in a claim for a decent wage for them. How did Harney and this wasters' Government react? They cut the number of home help hours that could have been provided. They did this without regard to the suffering of the senior citizens involved, the knock-on effect on acute bed occupancy and the take-up of the long-stay accommodation. That is some special focus.

In reply to my parliamentary question on 28 September 2005, the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Power, stated the hours of home help provided in County Kildare between 2003 and 2005 had been cut by a massive 40%. A mere two weeks later, on 13 October, the Tánaiste blankly denied that there were any cuts in the home help service. In doing so, I believe she deliberately misled this House. Her cold-hearted and cruel actions have led to real suffering and stress on the part of every old person in Kildare who previously availed of the service. All have reduced hours and many have had the service withdrawn completely.

One couple in their early 80s, both with heart conditions and other old age related ailments, were managing fine with a home help service of one hour per day and were happy and content in their home and community, but heartless Mary and this wasters' Government targeted them and other similar people for savings. The service of the couple was terminated and consequently one is now in long-stay care and the other is in an acute hospital bed. They will have to sell their home to pay Mary Harney's friends in the private nursing home sector. Shame on her. I could give her a list of similar cases as long as my arm. Harney persists with the myth that there were no cuts in Kildare, yet home help hours were cut by 40% on her watch.

The other service which was available and which worked involved the disabled person's grant. This grant assisted old and disabled people with the provision of downstairs toilets, showers and, perhaps, bedrooms. This allowed people to remain in their homes and communities. It is now virtually impossible to obtain these grants in County Kildare as the money has not been provided. Let that sink in. The Government did not provide the authorities with the money to pay the grants or build the downstairs toilets or showers.

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