Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion. I appreciate that the Minister is supporting it.

The means test for carers is mentioned in the programme for Government. I have seen many cases where people's sons or daughters went from the west to Dublin or wherever else and when they came home to mind their parents they were not allowed to get the carer's grant because they had a house in Dublin, for example. They were told they could not live in two houses. That is wrong, because they were saving the State money. They wanted to get €250 a week but the general cost of a nursing home is €1,000 or €1,100. We should appreciate the work done by carers right across the country. I know most people do, but the Department is throwing out wild figures of what it would cost. We do not seem to mind spending money on other things. Carers are crucial.

I know it is not just the money side of it because, unfortunately, even if somebody at home is deemed to be deserving of some hours of home care no one might show up. That is a major problem for the elderly. There is no point in getting a letter stating a person has been allocated 14 hours a week, seven hours a week or nine hours of home care if no one shows up to help. The system is not working at the moment and families are left scrabbling and trying to make sure their loved ones are looked after. Carers right across the country should be recognised for the amount of work to do, the effort they make, and what they save the State. That is ferociously important.

Some years ago I welcomed the new move on the fair deal in regard to succession, but there are anomalies. The first issue relates to who succeeds. Deputy O'Flynn spoke about succession and the case of couples who do not have children. There is a significant problem in that regard. In many farms around the country a son or daughter might have gone to a different country or they might be in Dublin for X number of years -----

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