Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

This Fianna Fáil-led Government, for all its bluster, has been unable to introduce legislation to deal with the fair deal provision. It is allowing thousands of elderly people to suffer in indignity.

It is putting pressure on families to sell their homes when for all his failures the Taoiseach could have used the €110 million for the purpose for which it was designed — either by increased subventions or as an allocation towards care for the elderly. He has failed miserably in this area of the €440 million cutbacks. What he has done is politically sacrilegious and he is condemned for that.

I ask the Taoiseach to reverse this decision before it gets out of hand. Bring back that €110 million. He has taken one in three of the €440 million in cutbacks from the health area, which he proclaimed had not been subject to any cuts and in fact, was exempt, by comparison with other Departments. The evidence is here, nonetheless, and he should be ashamed and have some conscience as regards what is going on, and reverse this decision. Deputy Cowen, as Taoiseach, is supposed to be in charge of the Government. He should leave this money intact in line with the decision that was taken and put it into care for the elderly because they are watching this and listening in their thousands. They now know that Fianna Fáil has directed that €85 million of the €100 million should be withdrawn. Elderly people will suffer as a consequence of this political decision. I ask the Taoiseach to reverse it.

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