Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)

I heard many of the Minister of State's points during the reply to an Adjournment debate and am aware of the charge that is levied. I was essentially seeking an evaluation of the impact of the charge on patients. Having read the explanatory memorandum to the Health (Amendment) Act 2005, I note it focuses very much on old age pensioners. Was it envisaged, when the legislation was being drawn up, that those with physical and intellectual disabilities would be subject to the charges? What consideration was given to differentiating between those living in capital-assisted houses with a house parent and the others? Those in the former category are not subject to the charges. Many individuals living in residential institutions, who aspire to live in capital-assisted houses but have not had the opportunity, are doing the same sheltered work as those living in capital-assisted houses, yet there is a very significant difference in the income they are allowed to retain.

Was the legal opinion proffered during the drafting of the Bill that one could not apply the charges to elderly people if they were not applied equally to everybody else in residential institutions? The difficulty is that there is a class of persons whom nobody expected would have to pay a price for the introduction of the legislation.

Much fundraising is done by parents and friends to keep residential institutions functioning and many of these people are elderly. I have met pensioners who are making contributions from their pensions towards the cost of keeping their children in institutions.

I call for an evaluation of the impact of the charges on people in institutions for whom small treats such as being able to choose their own clothes and shoes or going to the pictures are being put in jeopardy. The charges are also impacting on family members with limited means who may wish to take their relatives out of institutions. I do not think the charges are in the interest of patients.

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