Joanna Tuffy (Labour)

This wrong came on top of a wrong that had gone on for many years. The continuing delays over this issue further compound the wrong done by the Government in regard to the rights of elderly people.

An article in today's edition of The Irish Times discusses the existence of an interdepartmental report which apparently proposes that elderly people should be obliged to sell or remortgage their homes to help fund their long-term care. The issue of care for the elderly is something Members increasingly encounter in their clinics. A recent poll published by the same newspaper indicates most people do not agree with the approach outlined in the report to which I referred.

Elderly people have paid their taxes and contributed to society. Many of them paid the very high taxes in place in the 1980s. We must be more proactive in providing care options for elderly people, including public nursing homes and sheltered homes, as opposed to obliging them to sell their homes to pay for exorbitant private profit-making care. We must entirely reform the current approach to long-term care.

There have been reports recently on the alleged discovery of cocaine in the vicinity of Leinster House. This is a serious matter that should be investigated. It should not, however, draw the focus from the need to do more about the issue of drugs within communities. Cocaine is an increasing element of the drugs culture. One of the main reasons for Mr. Fergus McCabe's recent resignation from the national drugs strategy team is the move away from the focus on community involvement in drugs strategy. We must regain that focus which has been successful in the past. It was established in 1996 by my party leader, Deputy Rabbitte, when he was the relevant Minister of State. I do not understand why the Government is moving away from that approach.