John Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)

I am glad to have an opportunity to make a brief contribution to the debate on the release of the report on the Leas Cross nursing home saga, which is an important matter. Many Deputies recall the appalling footage we saw on our television screens some months ago, when an RTE documentary highlighted the lack of care given to elderly people who were residing in Leas Cross nursing home at a heavy cost to their sons, daughters and loved ones. I am sure what we saw on that occasion was the exception rather than the rule. I would like to think that is the case. All of us are aware of private nursing homes in our constituencies which offer a tremendous level of care to elderly people. Such nursing homes should be commended for the care they offer. That care comes at a great expense to many people, however, as I have said. I feel very strongly about this issue.

Legislation is being brought through this House to put on a statutory footing the scheme whereby the relatives of those who were cared for in public nursing homes and hospitals will receive repayments. I am familiar with the level of care that has been given and will continue to be given to elderly people. There is a stark difference between public care and private care. As a result of a court decision, the State has to refund many millions of euro to people who have not asked for such moneys. The vast majority of such people are more than satisfied with the level of care that was offered in public hospitals and nursing homes. Many of my constituents contact me through my constituency office and at my clinics to ask me if I can help them to place their elderly relatives in public hospitals and nursing homes. I cannot interfere in such cases, unfortunately, as I have little influence on the clinical decisions made by the hospital managers and the consultants who care for elderly people.

The State has to pay back substantial moneys. I understand, from what I have heard, that many people who are entitled to get money back are refusing to take it. I suggest to the Minister for Health and Children that such moneys should be directly repaid in enhanced subvention. Members of the House have spoken in recent days about the discrepancies in subvention between the former health board regions. It is something that needs to be reviewed and regularised so every member of the community can compete on a level playing pitch, regardless of where they reside. I know of many people who are at their wits' end because they are trying to put their children through college. While there may be four or five children in a family in some cases, just one or two of the children take responsibility for paying for their parents' care. The financial gap between the money available from the parents' old age pensions, with the subventions they get from the State, and the money needed to finance their care often needs to be bridged on a weekly or monthly basis by the children of the people in question. I would like the Government to make a greater effort to allocate more funding and resources to enhanced subvention. As legislators, we should recognise the great financial need that exists in many cases. That is more important than being obliged by law to recognise the needs of people who were very well cared for in public nursing homes to receive repayments.

Those of us who saw the footage from Leas Cross had never before seen such footage from inside a public institution and I believe we never again will. It spoke volumes. I do not want to be negative — I hope Leas Cross was an isolated incident.

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