Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I am not saying the current inspectorate is ideal. Obviously, we would not be changing it if we thought it was ideal. Nevertheless, an inspectorate exists so it is not the case that no checks are being done.

The Government has not received the O'Neill report, which I understand is with the HSE. Constitutional issues of natural justice have arisen which must go through a very painful legal process before this is dealt with. The central point is that we have put an additional €150 million into services for elderly people this year. Our spending on health care services for elderly people has increased greatly. A total of €150 million is allocated towards improving services for older people, approximately three quarters of which will go towards services in the community, home care packages, primary community care for older people, medical cards, carer's benefit, carer's allowance and carer's leave, and nursing home subventions.

See this speech in context