Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am ashamed to be a Member of a House which has to debate whether we give dignity and care to our vulnerable older citizens. Life is a cycle. As they grow older, people become more dependent on others to support and to help them. It is natural, especially for generations which lived and worked without the strong protection of legislation on health and safety or workers' rights. How many of our parents slaved in England or elsewhere in terrible conditions, with no consideration for their health from the bosses? How many worked at home for decades in such conditions, unprotected by a State which was not the Republic dreamed of by their fathers and mothers before them? Fortunately today, the needs of many of these people are cared for. They have support from a family member or a home care professional, allowing them to live in dignity, in their home and with whatever level of independence they have succeeded in maintaining.

However, many who require these supports are not adequately resourced, either losing their care package, some care hours or never being considered for one due to cuts to the service. It is shocking and disturbing that we can spend a single penny of the people's money before we have ensured that our older, more vulnerable and needy citizens are supported, protected and cared for with dignity.

Before entering Government, the Tánaiste, Deputy Gilmore, lauded those who marched to protect their medical cards as a universal entitlement for all people over the age of retirement. He told them of their courage and of how they had earned their place in Irish society through decades of hard work. I am not sure how such sentiments square with a cut of €1.7 million in home care packages and approximately €8 million in funding for home help. Those figures, given the huge cuts going on in Departments generally, can get a little bit lost in translation. How much is €1.7 million in home care packages and €8 million in home help? How far does that kind of money stretch when providing these services to vulnerable older people? The figure of hours cut by this Government in help and support for older people is devastating - 450,000 hours. That is 51 years worth of working hours to help and support our elderly population.

What is worse is that this is just a portion of the devastation this Government is reaping on help hours. In January, 1 million hours will have been withdrawn in 12 months. I do not need to illustrate again just what that means but it will be terrible for many older people who need help.

This Government often accuses my party of being over the top, of exaggerating and of scaremongering but how can it claim this? These cuts are not something we should just put up with. We must shout as loud as we can in opposition to them. They are callous and they are weak positions to take in that the people affected by the cuts are the old and dependent. It is an utter condemnation of this Government and this State that people who have worked all their lives and who have struggled and fought for our future are, when it was their turn to be supported, being given up on.

A total cut of €9.7 million in funding was recently announced. Sinn Féin has repeatedly highlighted large areas for cuts and tax increases which would allow us to pay for the care of our older people and give stimulus to the economy. Growth in our economy caused by stimulus would give us the hope that in the future weak Governments, like this one, would not target so blatantly those who cannot defend themselves.

The Government should listen to the calls of the people working in this sector, those who give everything they have to their clients and who nurture and care for them as if they were their own and for little reward and, certainly in the case of this Government, little respect.

The Government should also listen to the call of the families who are doing their best, as they struggle in these harsh economic times and try desperately to give comfort, support and dignity to their loved ones. It should finally listen to the older people who rely on this care and depend on this funding. The Government parties should listen to them and their pleas that they deserve dignity. The fundamental basis of the idea of human rights is that we all are deserving of the most basic human dignity. Cuts like these strip that dignity for good people who have done nothing to provoke attack. I ask Members to support the motion.

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