Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)

The point is taken. How we treat the old among us is a measure of our civilisation. This measure, if passed, will be a major step backwards in that regard. I have no doubt that the significant majority of decent Members of this House, including many on the Government benches, do not support this Bill. It is being forced through by the right-wing ideology of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. She could not bear or countenance any universal application of service and insisted that a means test be introduced, even if little or no money were to be saved. Let it be the last sting of a dying wasp. The poor, the elderly and the sick have suffered the misery of her stings for the past four years. Let us give her a going away present by rejecting this mean ideologically driven measure that has terrified and angered old age pensioners and almost fatally damaged the Fianna Fáil dominated Government.

Take heed of me now.

See this speech in context