Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

However, the Minister of State had a meeting with the bosses, the representatives of the for-profit nursing homes. Therefore, the attitude towards the businesses is quite clear. The attitude to the women workers who do crucial, stressful work in our society is also clear. They cannot bring their spouses to this country because they are not on €30,000 per year. They were promised they would get it but now the Government is saying they will not, not for now in any case. That is an absolutely disgraceful position. It is part of this debate because it shows the Government's attitude towards carers and the failure in the proposed amendment to deliver a legal obligation to provide a better life for people who care, who are overwhelmingly women.

Getting rid of the women-in-the-home clause is positive but what we need is not a timid, minor change but a bold measure. The Government should accept the amendments put before it here tonight.

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