Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on the Leas Cross nursing home and the wider issue of the elderly. I strongly support the call for legislation to provide for an independent, statutorily based inspection regime for all nursing homes and for this legislation to be brought forward as a matter of urgency. I also support the motion's call for all inspection reports to be made directly available to residents of nursing homes and their families.

However, I warn the large parties with regard to past mistakes. I accept and acknowledge that there are some legal difficulties in the HSE publishing the Leas Cross report. I warn all parties to take note because in the past, major mistakes have been made and hundreds of thousands of euro of taxpayers' money was spent because of serious mistakes and bad legal advice. In that context, I urge caution.

I wish to raise the issue of the bureaucratic delays for all pensioners and elderly citizens, of 14 to 16 weeks, in having the pension and bus pass claims processed. I raise this matter today because elderly people must be supported. They built up this country and the Celtic tiger. I also urge the Minister to put more community gardaí on the streets to protect elderly people.

Our senior citizens are experiencing severe economic difficulties, limitations in access to health services and a lack of social services. They are also suffering considerable shortcomings in their housing and living conditions, exclusion from culture and education, inappropriate treatment and have scant opportunity for participation in social and political life. These forms of discrimination and inequality, based on chronological age, are experienced by many groups of older people. I urge Members to listen to the concerns of elderly people because they built this country.

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