Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

At the outset, I thank the people working in Deputy Mattie McGrath's office for their work in helping us to prepare this important Private Member's motion. We must recognise the importance of the nursing homes support scheme and understand the problems and difficulties we, as public representatives, have with it. I highlight in particular our private nursing homes and the great work they do in our communities in taking care of those who need it. We have problems and difficulties, however. As Deputy Harty has rightly highlighted, a farm is not an asset as such. The vast majority of people who own farms in Ireland today do not look on them as assets. A farm is something they inherit and work to make what they can before transferring it on to the next generation. It is not like a bundle of cash in a bank. It is not like stocks or apartments and other property. A farm is something unique and different. That is why we have brought forward the motion.

I thank the Minister of State for her engagement with us as a group before we moved the motion. At the same time, the amendment she proposes is, to put it bluntly, unacceptable to us. We are sorry about that, but it is where we are. I acknowledge the great work of Deputy Billy Kelleher, the spokesperson on health in opposition, and the support he has provided on a daily basis. I am anxious that the Minister of State understands that a farm is not something which is like cash. A person is only its guardian for the time being with the intention that it will be passed on. That is why we are worried. Family farms have made a vital contribution to the growth in employment in rural areas. They form the backbone of the rural economy. It is estimated that farm families spend €8 billion per year in the Irish economy, most of which is spent locally to support local jobs and enterprise. The Minister of State knows that herself. The farm is the backbone of everything. When there was very little in Ireland, we had farming. Before tourism ever took off, we had farming. Even though many other things have not survived, we will still have farming. That is why we want the nursing homes support scheme to take into consideration the unique circumstances that apply when it comes to adjudicating what a farm is worth. That must be reflected in the calculation of the percentages as to what exactly the nursing homes support will be.

People who have a stroke in Ireland today face being abandoned by society and the State following their discharge from hospital. While services are provided for those with other life threatening conditions, regardless of cost, stroke sufferers often have to pay for their long-term care with their houses and other assets. The fair deal scheme has provided little or no assistance to keep stroke survivors living in their own homes while in nursing homes there is virtually no access to even basic therapeutic services unless residents can afford to pay extra themselves.

Having said that, I recognise the great service our nursing homes provide in our communities. It is only because of the diligence and work, in particular of the families who founded nursing homes. Through their work, guts and courage, they borrowed money and built up their businesses. They provide health care to the people in our communities. If one looks at the actual sums, nursing homes which are charging €800 or €820 per week are, in fact, operating on a tight budget. They employ people 24 hours a day. Out-of-hours wages cost a lot more and they must meet holiday pay and every other cost, including the cost of their borrowings. It is very difficult for them to actually run their businesses. We owe a great debt of gratitude to them.

There are simple things the State should do when it comes to our nursing homes. The doctor in our parliamentary group knows a lot more about this than I do. Nursing homes have to send patients to acute hospitals for assessment instead of having geriatricians to come to them. That is a cost to the State which should be examined. In looking at the overall cost of nursing home support, we should be examining issues like that. If we can reduce costs on that side, we will have more to give on the other side of the nursing homes support scheme. It is an issue that has been raised with me on many occasions by the proprietors of nursing homes who say it makes no sense that ambulances, taxis and private cars have to take their patients out of their nursing homes to acute hospitals for assessment when it would be so much easier to send one geriatrician to the nursing home to meet many patients at the same time on the same day. Look at the cost of sending all those patients out. The Minister of State has to look at issues like that on foot of the motion. It is very important.

Our motion aims to highlight the fact that while we appreciate the scheme that is in place, we want the Government to look at the problems and issues we have raised. I would like to be constructive so while I appreciate the Minister of State's amendments, we cannot agree to them. I know she respects that. I ask her to look closely at the validity of the motion we have tabled and accept that we are doing this because we are dealing with the people on the ground and know the issues that arise. We are hopeful that she will be able to accept our view, which she knows we put forward in the best interests of the person who is so important at the end of the day, namely, the person receiving the support. I ask the Minister of State to acknowledge the fact that the family farm is a unique asset in that it is not an asset in the way that other people might adjudicate.

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