Ann Ormonde (Fianna Fail)

I hope the Members opposite are here to ensure the same.

I welcome that a director of nursing has been assigned to this nursing home and that the staff assigned to it will be upgraded. I ask that proper training be provided for carers who work in these nursing homes. If I had my way nobody would be cared for in nursing homes. I would follow the line of extending the home grants, the home help service and provide extra support for voluntary organisations. That would be my choice. I would not like to see any member of my family going into a nursing home because I do not know how many more nursing homes there are like the one that has been described. I have visited fine nursing homes and met many excellent, caring and sensitive staff there. This programme shocked me. While the Minister of State should initiate the necessary legislation, regardless of when it appears, the message is out. We have seen how people running a nursing home abused their position.

I am pleased there are such fine investigative journalists who conducted these interviews under intense pressure and worked to elderly the elderly people's point of view. We can thank the media for presenting this story, which will not happen again. We are aware of the problem and we will remedy the situation. We do not need any lectures to tell us how to do it. The Minister of State has heard the contributions made tonight and will be receptive to the points made. The Government will implement whatever measures are necessary to ensure that elderly people can live in an independent and dignified way.