Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

We have provided €110 million this year, which is €150 million in a full year, towards additional supports for the elderly, including the provision of specific services in the community, because community services are not just about home care packages but putting in place therapists and others who can support people living in the community. Chiropody is an important service for diabetics. Physiotherapy and so on is also important.

In Ireland there are 20,000 people over 65 years of age in long-term care. That is approximately 4.5% of that age group. That is the international average for people over the age of 65. In different circumstances, perhaps 28% could be at home. The State has contracted beds in certain places where it has not been in a position to provide publicly funded beds. Nobody gets a bed for free. Some 90% of the cost is paid for in the public nursing home and people are expected to pay only 80% of their old age pension. In a private nursing home the position is different. It is inequitable and there are proposals relating to the funding of long-term care before the Cabinet which have been included in the social partnership talks. It is a major issue for society. How will we assess who is entitled to it? We all accept that everyone could not possibly be entitled to fully publicly-funded care in their older years, because that would not be affordable and would not be fair to those who are very well off. I want to see low and medium-income earners getting greater support, and the same support whether the State is in a position to provide a public nursing home bed or whether the individual must try to acquire one in the private sector. There has to be equality of support. I hope those policies will be finalised this month.

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