John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

In the argument about care for those aged over 70, people were convinced that not only would they lose their medical cards but, as I heard myself in the church down town, that unless they stood to fight on the medical card removal issue they would also lose their free travel and other benefits. That was never in the debate at all. I hope at this point that advocates for those aged over 70 might see that a certain strategy was behind the entire process.

Certain questions came up in the last hour of the debate. I believe I have covered the issue of where the funding will go and what can be secured. I make the point again that the figure in question was €100 million. Deputy Neville mentioned how the issue affects an elderly couple in the event of one party dying. I take his point. There is then a reduced income which remains above the means test for a single person. I understand that issue and I know that a great difference is created in health demands for the now single person. The Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, acknowledged this. She is prepared to look at the matter as the Bill goes through, recognising that the change of status from married couple to single individual would create certain difficulties.

I take the point the Deputy made about retired teachers. It is a much larger issue than that and affects all retired people. I suggest that by taking the comments of Members today, the Minister indicated it is an area she intends to revisit. On the reaction to the public demonstration, if the budget as announced on the day had contained more explanation of the specific details of the scheme and made people fully aware they were not losing their entitlements, the demonstrations we met — and quite properly so — would not have been as tense.

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