Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is difficult to work out what the Government is trying to achieve. This week, we read that one in ten people in the country cannot feed themselves. Now that the Government has achieved that, it wants to try to get older people to die a little younger so that it can save more money. My father does not want to go into a home. I do not know anyone of that age who wants to go into a home if it can be avoided. These cuts will create a situation where people must go into institutionalised care. One does not need to be a genius to work out that people are better off in their homes. It is difficult to make the argument because I thought the Government agreed with it. I thought the Government agreed because one cannot argue against it. On many subjects, one is told one cannot do it because the country is bankrupt and does not have the money. On this subject, the Government does not have that argument. If these people cannot be taken care of in their homes, it will cost much more to take care of them in a place where they will be less happy. Trying to apply logic to the situation does not work. Why is the Government doing this when it will cost more and make old people miserable? I thought the Government agreed with fairness, but it does not.

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