James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

-----to close his eyes, not in the 40 winks manner described by my colleague, Deputy Lee, but to allow a mental image to form. I call on the Minister of State to imagine the lifestyles of the majority of our elderly citizens who are forced into nursing home care. The Minister of State should contrast that with the picture of the lavish lifestyles of our bankers, higher paid civil servants and the Galway tent brigade. Does it not disturb the Minister of State to dwell on these mental images? It should do so since he comes from a rural part of the country.

Even with my eyes firmly open, it is a contrast too great for me to bear. The elderly and vulnerable are usually extremely reluctant to leave their family home and go into institutionalised care.

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