Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

I wish to share time with Deputies Connaughton and Deenihan. I cannot help but start where Deputy Glennon finished and give total support to the women to whom he referred, which has been evident across parties. I represent Cavan-Monaghan in which a number of patients who were dealt with in such a dreadful way by Mr. Neary live. There is complete recognition of the facts. Although there were questions afterwards about how the matter was initially dealt with by the medical services, there is no question about the results. I add my voice to those urging the Minister of State, Deputy Tim O'Malley, to ensure that the Minister deals with this issue as a matter of urgency because it is something we can all do without. Whatever little help can be given to these women in their desperation should be given.

The issue of Leas Cross is a sad saga. The majority of nursing homes in this country have a tremendous record. I think of St Mary's Hospital in Castleblaney and the tremendous service it provides to all the people who go through its doors. I also think of the Sacred Heart Home for the Elderly in Clones and many others. However, this does not mean we should turn a blind eye to what has happened in those nursing homes that have been exposed.

It is vital that this Bill is not just passed by this House but is properly financed and that the inspectorate does the job it is supposed to do. We are very good at passing legislation. I cannot help but remember the Bills which went through this House in 1989 regarding meat and bone meal. If they had been acted on then, we would certainly not have experienced the BSE crisis six years later. It is vital that this Bill's provisions are properly financed.

But for a proposal introduced in this House by our party leader, Deputy Kenny, and supported by Deputies Twomey and O'Dowd, we would not have this Bill and in that context, I welcome it. However, without proper funding, the Bill will not work. I appreciate the Bill gives the inspectorate the power to close nursing homes if it finds anything wrong with them and that there will be proper fines, but any inspection must be an on the spot inspection. Not long ago, I remember Department officials in another field telling us they were going to conduct an inspection three months later during the first week of a particular month. If somebody knows that something is going to happen, it cannot be called an inspection. It is purely a visit. When one has visitors coming around, one normally puts out the best china and has the parlour ready.

There must also be inspections of other health services. I spent a few days in Monaghan General Hospital during the Christmas recess and was most impressed by its level of cleanliness. It reminded me of the old days, as referred to by Deputy Tony Dempsey, when hospitals were run by nuns and other groups that had proper structures in place to ensure cleanliness. If that were still the case, MRSA and other problems of that nature would not have gained such a foothold. It is almost sickening to visit a home where an elderly parent has died due to contracting MRSA when in hospital for a minor operation.

Although the Government has made many promises about extra help for the elderly, it is not yet in place. Home help services employ agency staff rather than those who want to be employed. People who require ten hours of home help a week receive two hours. I referred previously in the House to one of the worst cases I came across which related to an individual in Carrickmacross in south Monaghan. A person from there had spent two months in the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire. The individual concerned was sent home last August or September with the promise of physiotherapy services etc., but to date has received no treatment. Physiotherapists were available but none was provided to treat this person. None of the newly qualified physiotherapists who graduated from college this year was employed. That is a serious situation. In this case the individual was in their 40s. An 18 year old in the same town also failed to receive treatment following an operation with the result that the operation was a dead loss because nothing was done subsequently to follow up on it.

I am not sure how much time is left.

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