Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)

I concur with Deputy Seán Ryan. Even at this late stage I ask the Minister of State to reconsider this Bill. Even what is good about the current situation is being undermined by this Bill. In the past officials of the Health Service Executive had discretion but that will no longer be the case.

The situation in respect of the nursing home subvention is completely unwieldy and unfair. Currently I am dealing with the case of two elderly brothers who are both on non-contributory old age pensions and who are both medical cards holders. Both of them were told there are no long-stay public beds for them and they applied for, and received, the maximum subvention. However, if one adds the maximum subvention they are receiving from the HSE in South Tipperary, which is €240 each per week, to their non-contributory old age pension, it amounts to approximately €420. The nursing home is charging them €500 each per week, although they are not paying it because they do not have it.

These two brothers have no savings and live in a local authority rented house. Furthermore, if they want to hold on to the house while they are in the nursing home, they must pay rent for it. The HSE and this Government are asking them to pay €80 each per week which they do not have because they cannot fully fund them in a nursing home or provide them with public beds. That is unfair, unreasonable and unforgivable at a time when this country is awash with money.

Earlier this year the Minister for Finance told me that in the ten years in which this Government has been in power, there has been a budget surplus of €39 billion. Despite the availability of that money, we cannot look after two old age pensioners, who are medical card holders and local authority tenants, when they get old. Even with their pensions and the HSE subvention, they are still €80 each per week shy of the nursing charge. It is unfair and unbelievable but it is true. This is not an isolated case; it is happening on a regular basis. Even at this late stage I ask the Minister of State to withdraw this Bill and bring forward a proper scheme of subvention which would at least fully cover people such as those about whom I spoke or else provide enough public beds for such people.

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