Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

When we get into government, I hope we will bring real reform. Fine Gael is talking about disbanding the HSE, the biggest monster we have ever created. Talk about monsters that frighten children in November, this is the greatest monster and it is costing us billions to keep it alive. No one knows what is going on. Last night at a public meeting, one of the home help women told me she received letters to attend to two people but both were dead. It is no wonder the HSE is in disarray.

Regarding the Ombudsman's report, I hope the Minister will answer some of the queries raised. It is a sad day in this country when we depend on the Ombudsman, an independent person, to investigate legislation in this House and what a State agency is doing. That should be done within the confines of the House. We should have the powers to do so, perhaps at the level of parliamentary committee, and it is wrong that we do not. This must be dealt with.

People who depend on the State have been very badly let down. People were entitled to beds in State homes but beds could not be found for them. The State seemed to wash its hands of them even though the legislation was clear that anyone with a medical card over 65 years of age was entitled to a bed. The State let them down and if the State was not able to cope or provide beds, it should have helped them to get beds in the private sector. These people have been let down by the Government, by this Parliament and by the HSE. Something needs to be done so that it never happens again.

I remember visiting a State nursing home in Belmullet. Someone tipped me off that things were not right. When I came into this House after visiting it, I contacted the health and safety authorities. They visited the home and threatened to close it down. Someone broke a leg there. After I raised the matter here, the health board rushed out and spent €600,000 developing it. I should not have to raise that. People should not have been left in those conditions. The health board itself could not get down there quickly enough with the spin and to get the work done. It tried to castigate me on the grounds that I should not have raised the matter. I should have raised it. Elderly people should not have been left in those conditions. What has gone on with the elderly of this country is wrong. I hope the Minister will respond to the Ombudsman's report and that what happened in recent years will never happen again.

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