Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to contribute to this very important debate. As Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas, we have a constitutional responsibility to support, respect and look after elderly people. It is a human rights, community, political and taxpayers' issue which is impossible to avoid. A society that does not look after or respect its elderly people is going nowhere. The debate must proceed from this point.

This debate concerns the most significant robbery in this State in the past 30 years. The decision by the Supreme Court to reject the Government's Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2004 confirmed the occurrence of the most significant theft of our time. I am speaking out on behalf of the elderly and highlighting the €3 billion taken from 300,000 older people over a period of 30 years. The implications of the Travers report were devastating and clearly revealed State-sanctioned elder abuse for three decades. It revealed a complete lack of political leadership by successive Governments and Ministers. It is not sufficient to blame the current Government as successive Governments must share the blame.

We must face the fact that care of the elderly is in crisis. The health system is sick and we must cure it. We need radical change and reforms. The Independent Members in this House will be a voice for people who are tired, disabled and incapacitated and help them to stake their rightful claim to better services. Independent Deputies are demanding a guarantee of dignity for elderly people through adequate income support, priority in health care, back-up support when they are ill or convalescing and information about entitlements as a right. These are our clear demands. We also demand the abolition of means testing and the implementation of a realistic level of financial support to ensure a better quality of life for carers and cared for family members. In recent years we have demanded the eradication of all health and social welfare waiting lists within a three-year period. We demand accountability from decision makers.

I am tired of listening to people who pass the elderly off, refuse to take them seriously or fail to treat them with respect. We must wake up to the fact that elderly people make a significant and positive contribution to the wider society. They have maturity and experience, qualities which cannot be bought by any society. I become angry when people mention bed blocking or tell older people to leave the workforce when they reach 65 or 70. If older people wish to remain in the workforce, they should have that right. They want to make a contribution to society. They have maturity and an experience of life which younger people lack and can make a significant contribution to society. I speak from personal experience as I have witnessed the work of many older people who are involved in social services or who work with people with disabilities, particularly intellectual disabilities.

This is the position held by the Independent Deputies. Approximately 444,000 people, or 11% of the population, are over 65 years of age. When one breaks down this figure, one discovers that approximately 266,000 people are over 70, one third of who live alone. It is not enough to state that the Government has responsibilities. We, as citizens, family members and neighbours, also have responsibilities. Sadly, despite our wealth and as a result of the fast pace of life, nobody seems to have any time for elderly people, which is to be regretted. This is something we had 20 or 30 years ago but which our so-called wealthy society has lost. There is nothing wrong with learning from experience and the past.

A further 13,000 elderly people who need high to maximum-dependency care continue to live at home on their own. We need to support these people, many of whose families make sacrifices to provide the best possible care for them. I demand that the Government immediately puts in place adequate resources and a comprehensive infrastructure for the care of elderly people. Elderly people and accident and emergency services will be top of the agenda in any programme put forward by the Independent Deputies in the future. I call on the Minister of State and the Government to support elderly people and put the necessary supports and service in place. Ireland is a wealthy country and it is our national and civic duty to support our elderly people. We must put an end to talking, roll up our sleeves and support the elderly.

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