Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim míle maith ag an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach and I thank Deputy Harkin for putting the spotlight on these two issues.

In four and a half minutes, I cannot do justice to this matter but I fully support the concepts behind this motion and, indeed, the Deputy has drawn attention to the ESRI report published in January last and she has read out the consequences of the policy that was brought in by the Progressive Democrats, PDs, and Fianna Fáil - with the PDs leading Fianna Fáil - if we go back in time. I note to the Minister of State that I have said this before. I watched the privatisation of a whole range of areas and while Deputy Harkin has mentioned nursing homes and childcare, there are many more areas. We are now seeing the consequences and the Minister of State has been left with this in her hands. It should never have happened but, unfortunately, it did. I am afraid this was the PD philosophy, which was neoliberalism gone mad. It knew the price of everything and the value of absolutely nothing. We have a complete turnaround now with more than 80% of the sector in private hands and less than 20% in public hands.

On that point, we heard an interesting presentation yesterday that I must mention from the trade association The Alliance: Supporting Nursing Homes. I will come back to the Minister of State in that regard as the alliance highlighted a number of significant issues. I see the Minister of State nodding, which I welcome, and I will come back to her but the alliance represents the smaller groups. I put my hand right up to say I fully support a public model of childcare and public nursing homes but, of course, there also is room for smaller nursing homes in that space and I have no difficulty with that. Indeed the alliance pointed out that since 2018, we have lost 65 nursing homes. As was pointed out by it and by the ESRI, most of them are outside of Dublin in the regions because, obviously, the profit is not great enough for the bigger companies. The Minister of State herself, in her speech in January, acknowledged that a small number of companies own, I think, 40% of the private nursing homes, all of which are based on profit and are making one, and then we have the equity and vulture funds. The Minister of State may not use that word but I certainly do. Once the downturn comes in the economy, we are in serious trouble here.

While Deputy Harkin identified nursing homes and childcare, there are also a number of core services, if we are to describe ourselves as a republic and to function as one.

I am on record for praising the Minister of State on this but her hands are full if she is to undertake the undoing of this policy and to turn it around. There are practical ways of doing that first. Outside of my own area - but I have a particular connection with the person who set it up - is a not-for-profit nursing home in Mulrany. I said that I would mention it at every opportunity I get because it is wonderful. The concept is wonderful, the practice was great and it is struggling. I know that those involved have written to the Minister of State.

If I stay in my own constituency, we have a unit in Carraroe with underutilised beds. It is difficult to get the numbers in this regard, which range from 13 to 18, depending on who one is listening to. I will not exaggerate because there are at least 30 beds empty at any given time in the middle of the Gaeltacht for no reason.

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