Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

It is unreasonable and unsustainable to stipulate that everyone is entitled to everything, regardless of their resources and family circumstances. If such a system were sustainable and the courts ruled in its favour, we would be forced to legislate in that area because it is not affordable. It is unfair that very wealthy people would be entitled to the same level of services as people who are not well off or quite poor. The case involving public nursing home care and beds in private nursing homes is being tested in the courts. The question of which health services to which people are entitled will be the subject of separate legislation known as the eligibility and entitlement legislation. We must decide which individuals are entitled to which services and, until we obtain clarity in this regard, confusion will exist.

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