Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I do. The elderly have not only been undermined by the Minister, his policies and those of the Minister for Finance but the Minister for Social Protection has waded in to the equation as well. While the programme for Government makes a strong commitment to an increase in funding for the provision of services for older people between 2011 and 2016, in every analysis, policy, tranche of legislation and Estimate that has come from the Government in recent years, there has been a systematic undermining of people over 70 years in the provision of supports. That is a fact.

There is an incredible situation with regard to home care packages and home help hours. We were told some time ago that the priority of the Government was to provide care in the community and the home. We have general practitioner services in crisis. I was accused of representing GPs, but I was simply highlighting that services have been diminished in communities. That is a fact.

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