Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)

With the agreement of the House, I would like to share time with the Ministers of State, Deputies John Curran, Michael P. Kitt, Martin Mansergh and Seán Power.

Táim sásta labhairt ar an rún seo anocht, agus táim an-sásta go bhfuil an seans agam é sin a dhéanamh. In relation to tonight's motion, I am not quite certain why the Opposition decided to target the Ministers of State. Nevertheless, it gives me an opportunity to outline the very serious work that is underway in my Department and within the office for older people. The Government has a proud record as regards innovative work and planning for the future. The business of Government has changed significantly in recent years and the changing demographic patterns give us no choice but to prepare for the future as regards the ageing population. It is a great achievement for all of us that we are living longer and healthier lives. It is only prudent, however, that in preparing for the future we learn from the work of other countries that have had to deal with such demographic change long before Ireland. We know that 11% of the population is over 65, but that means we are still among the youngest states in Europe. In Italy, 18% of the population is over 65 and in Germany the figure is 16%. I have no doubt Ireland would have also reached that demographic level were it not for the fact that so many of our people emigrated in the 1950s to the UK and America, to grow older abroad.

The Agreed Programme for Government provided for a Minister of State with responsibility for older people. I am very conscious that many of the representative groups for older people lobbied for a Minister of State for older people, and I was privileged to be asked by the Taoiseach to accept that position. Some 5% of people over 65 are in long-term residential care, a relatively small but nonetheless very important percentage. In preparing for developments in this area in the future, I as Minister of State, am empowered under the devolved powers of sections 6, 7 and 10 of the Health (Nursing Homes) Act 1990 in preparation for the new Nursing Homes Support Scheme Bill, which Members will know is at an advanced stage in the Houses at this point. However, the appointment of a Minister of State with responsibility for older people was also in anticipation of the preparation needed into the future. Statistics show that a baby girl born in Ireland this year has a significant chance of reaching the age of 100, because of medical advancements. In preparing for such eventualities, we must enable people. From my interaction with older people, I know they want to remain at home for as long as is possible. For the remaining 95% of the population we must therefore prepare for the future to enable that.

That prompts me to mention the three Departments in which I am based: the Department of Health and Children, where the office for the Minister of State with responsibility for older people has been set up — I shall speak on this in a moment; the Department of Social and Family Affairs; and the Department of the Environment Heritage and Local Government, particularly as regards the area of housing for older people where I work with my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Finneran, especially as regards voluntary housing.

The office was established last year to bring about improvements in the Government's planning, policy and services delivery for older people. The setting up of a national advisory council on older people is at an advanced stage. Hopefully, the legislation will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas within the next couple of weeks. It is envisaged that the council will act in an advisory capacity to me, as Minister of State, in the preparation of a positive ageing strategy, which is underway at the moment. An interdepartmental team has been set up where representatives from each Department has met with me and my officials on a number of occasions. We are seeking to determine how each Department may address the needs and concerns of older people. Some significant advancements have been seen already in some Departments, such as the rural transport link in the Department of Transport, as well as many others. Unfortunately, I am not in a position to elaborate on them at this time, because my time has expired. However, I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to address the motion.

I shall leave Fine Gael with one question. Is its motion saying that older people do not matter and that the office of Minister of State with responsibility for older people does not matter? I am not referring to myself, as the incumbent, but rather the office. On behalf of older people, I hope that is not the case.

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