Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

We all agree, and that is why the Government has invested enormous resources. I do not have to go through the details, including those in the recent budget, but I do not think the Deputy is correct that we wasted any of those resources. We have invested significantly in the care of our older people, as well as looking after them in terms of welfare payments. We invested an additional €110 million in the recent budget, a sum of €150 million at full cost, for packages to help elderly people. We are committed to maintaining older people in dignity and independence in their own homes, in accordance with their wishes, for as long as possible and to providing high quality, long-term residential care for older people, where necessary.

The social inspectorate has been working on an administrative basis for the last six or seven years on protection issues but last year it highlighted that more needs to be done. Legislation is being prepared. I have already spoken about actions being taken prior to the enactment of the legislation, which will provide for the establishment of a health information and quality authority and a social services inspectorate, based on the current administrative arrangements. The social services inspectorate function will be vested in a new statutory office, to be known as the office of the chief inspector of social services, which will provide for the registration system in respect of residential services to make sure they adhere to all the standards I referred to at the outset for older people and those with disabilities. It will replace the existing registration system. We should not pretend there is no system in place, because there is, under the Health (Nursing Homes) Act.

It is intended that the function of the new office will be to monitor the standards for residential services for elderly people, those with disabilities and children in care. I do not have a date for the introduction of the Bill but the draft heads of the legislation are at an advanced stage, will be submitted to the Government and then hopefully the House will deal with it quickly. Legislation, however, is not the beginning and the end of the matter and all of these issues are being monitored closely.

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