Mary White (Fianna Fail)

This year's Finance Bill will bring about real change and reform of our tax system. The ESRI described the budget on which this Bill is based as "perhaps the most progressive budget package for many years — poorer households did proportionately better than rich ones". Fr. Sean Healy of the Conference of Religious of Ireland, CORI, describes it as a fair budget, looking after those in society who need help. The ESRI and CORI are reputable organisations.

It is Government and Health Service Executive policy to try to keep elderly people at home for as long as possible. For this strategy to work it is vital that the services provided are affordable and dependable. The addition of 13.5% VAT to its cost has a major impact on the affordability of the service. This charge does not apply to home care in the United Kingdom or other EU countries where the service is exempt from VAT. If the service is licensed and regulated the European Commission will not take issue with it.

To keep an old person in a residential home can cost up to €1,000 a week, whereas a professional home care service of three hours a day, five days a week costs less. Many business people and entrepreneurs see an opportunity to provide professional home care services whose staff are properly trained, insured and paid to provide a home care service. It is far better for older people to be in their own homes than to be in residential home care. It is important to do away with this additional 13.5% on the cost of the home carer. This should happen as part of the Tánaiste's plan to keep older people in their own homes. Most of those in residential care do not need to be there full time.

I am happy to have put the issue of child care on the political radar last year. I have been on a mission in recent months to put aging and ageism on the political radar. I held three meetings on this topic in Dublin South-East. At each meeting people cried out for help because they do not want to retire at the age of 65. This mandatory retirement age is discriminatory. Normally we react to EU directives but in this case we should take the initiative, and in the spirit of Council Directive 2000/78/EC, take this upon ourselves. People live longer and are healthier than in the past and many do not want to retire.

In the public sector people must retire at 65. When a person takes up a job in the private sector an obligatory retirement age is set in the employee's contract. The result is that thousands of older people must retire against their wills every year, even though they have the ability to retain their jobs. That is ridiculous for people who are skilled and experienced. Gay Byrne, at 72 years of age, is a perfect example of an older person bringing his skills, experience, and leadership to bear on road safety.

With regard to women, when I got married in 1969 I had to give up my job because I was working in the public sector.