Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)

The quality of the replies and additional information we have received in the past hour is almost as dismal as the Government's handling of the issues raised. The replies we received today were absolutely diabolical. The only thing I learned is the astounding fact that the Tánaiste has visited nursing homes about which she has concerns. Deputy Seán Ryan asked the Tánaiste to tell him what happens in respect of elderly people and their entitlements to nursing home care paid for by the State and whether public nursing home beds are available to them. A question I have asked at least six times either in this House or in meetings of the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children concerns whether the Government has examined the statutory entitlements of patients over 70 to free public or private nursing home care. If it transpires that people in this group have a statutory entitlement to nursing home care, it will make the illegal nursing home charges look like loose change.

The Tánaiste appears to have avoided giving a direct answer to this question time after time. Given that it was raised by Deputy Seán Ryan, it might do no harm for the Tánaiste to put the Government's opinion on this issue on the record of the House. Is this another problem that is brewing and will Deputies present in this House in 2009 hear Ministers claim that this issue was never raised with them? A serious problem exists in this area, which has not been addressed by the Tánaiste, even when questions were raised about it.

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