Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I commend Deputy Tom Fleming for tabling this motion and the Government for accepting it. However, implementing the proposals set out in the motion will be a separate matter. I hope all of Deputy Fleming’s proposals are implemented by the Government.

We all know of the increasing ageing population in the country, particularly in the west, be it parents, aunts, uncles or neighbours. These are the people who laid the foundations for the rest of us through hard work and have passed on the baton to us. These are the people who, in their latter years, deserve to age with grace and dignity. We do not need to take away their free bus travel, telephone allowance or television licences.

Carers, be they relations, neighbours or professionals, do much work in helping the elderly. However, it is sad to see their hours being cut down to only 45 minutes. This needs to be re-examined. Putting a person into a nursing home instead would cost more, however. The maths of home care packages are simple, with employment being provided to many while the elderly people enjoy staying in their home.

This evening we learned the HSE has cut funding to men’s sheds. Rural isolation is becoming a major problem. Many people in rural areas do not go to the pub, for example, or do not meet people during the day. The men’s shed brought people together and saved the country money in mental health services provision. I accept efforts have been made to continue rural bus services, like in Roscommon and Leitrim, but their funding needs to be secured into the future, not decided on every year.

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, for committing to keeping the Rosalie unit in Castlerea, County Roscommon. We need full teams of nurses and carers to assist elderly people across the country. I know there is a pilot project in Galway which is working well. These projects can actually save money in the long term. Every old person wants to spend their last days at home with their families and neighbours. We need to ensure the recommendations of the national positive ageing strategy are carried out. We will all be elderly some day and will want a system in which we will be cared for with dignity.

Leitrim has the highest rate for dementia per head of population, followed by Roscommon. I hope during the summer we can devise a new system of helping those with dementia to be able to stay in their homes. I recently visited a company in Athlone which is producing new devices that will make it safer for people with dementia to live at home. These products will ensure, for example, that a cooker will turn off or the front door will lock if they leave the house. In England, there is no VAT on these items. I will be making a similar submission in the forthcoming budget. While a VAT exemption cannot be provided, a VAT refund could be given to family members who wish to buy these products for an elderly relative suffering from dementia. These are ideas we must examine to make it more flexible for elderly people to live at home.

In addition, the few hours of caring that a neighbour could provide could make it viable for another family in an area where there might not be much employment or industry.

We need to examine this matter in terms of the whole of its benefit to communities.

I commend Deputy Tom Fleming and hope the Government implements some of our suggestions.

See this speech in context