Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I wish the Minister of State well in her new job. As a result of Covid, the past six months have affected the well-being of everybody but old people have suffered disproportionately. A total of 56% of all deaths have been in nursing homes and the vast majority of deaths in the State have been of older people. There was, and still is, a sense of fear with regard to how old people interact. Even the word "cocooning" was almost derogatory and some older people took its use to task.

In all of the grimness there was a bit of light because sometimes in the darkness there has to be sunshine. There was an amazing film in the "Letters from Lockdown" short film series by RTÉ about Margaret Lynch who is 100 years old. It is absolutely fantastic and really encompasses the generational gap between older people and their grandchildren and how Covid affects them and their families. Every time I see the film I shed a tear - but I also smile - because of the effect the past six months have had on old people.

There has been a digital divide in the past six months, which has been compounded by the ageist society we have. There are many things the Minister of State cannot do but something practical she could do is what Age Action is calling for, which is to include in the budget for 2021 a digital allowance in the form of a €2.50 increase in the telephone support allowance because of the digital divide during the lockdown. This would be very welcome.

I noted the contribution of the Minister of State on day care centres and Deputy Ellis made a pertinent point on these services. My mother goes to a service in Clondalkin but she has not been there for the past six months. She was going every day to get her hair done, have her dinner and meet her friends but this has broken down. It is very important that these services resume very quickly. The lack of routine and social isolation that have happened are unquantifiable with regard to older people in the State.

If there is one thing the Minister of State can do in practical terms it is to try to address the aftershock of Covid, what we are living with and what it has done to old people. This can be done through opening up day centres as soon as possible, when all of the guidelines have been adhered to, and giving more resources to the older generation in particular. They have paid their taxes and done everything but the pandemic has stopped them in their tracks. There is always hope and I have referred to the "Letters from Lockdown" short films. There is always hope. There is hope in adversity and there is hope in this pandemic.

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