Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)

It is okay to blame the HSE and its management but somebody must answer the questions about who was responsible for what happened in Leas Cross and who was held responsible. The Government's attitude is that it is okay to pass the matter on to the Garda; it will pass the buck until after the general election because it will take so long for the Garda to carry out the investigations that the general election will be over and done with. The Members on the Government side of the House do not care about elderly people or elderly patients in nursing homes.

It is great for the Government to say that it has spent money on the elderly and on X, Y and Z, but why are people coming to my clinic every week complaining about nursing home subventions, the carer's allowance, the home help service, occupational therapy services and the waiting list to be admitted to a public geriatric hospital? If the Government spent all this money in the health sector, why are these people waiting for the delivery of these services?

For example, all the family members of an elderly constituent who is a patient in County Wexford are looking for is a seat for a bath. This elderly man has been told he will have to wait five or six months for it because no occupational therapy services are available in the county to assess him for this seat for the bath. He does not want anything else, and this aid will cost only €500 or €600. There has been too much red tape. The Government has failed miserly on this count.

I was surprised that Deputy O'Connor supported the Government on this motion, as I thought he represented the interests of people at the grassroots.

A total of 105 people passed away in Leas Cross over a short period of time. That is disastrous. I have no doubt similar conditions are to be found in other nursing homes throughout the country because there is no inspectorate in place to check what is happening in them. However, there are some good nursing homes, including in my county. I am not saying this to frighten or alarm people but one will always know a good or a bad nursing home from the minute one walks in the door. One will recognise a good nursing home on entering it, one that provides genuine care, 24 hours a day every day of the year.

The Minister and the Government have failed miserly in this area. I would like serious action to be taken that will make a difference and that will reassure patients and their families. Families pay €600 to €700 a week to keep their elderly mother or father in a nursing home. They expect care of a 100% standard to be provided and in some nursing homes they are not receiving that.

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