John Minihan (Progressive Democrats)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House, as well as the comments made by Senator Ryan, including the admission of his great age. At times when we debate, I might say that I think he is six, not 60. I am glad that point has been clarified today.

We had statements in this House only last month on the recent publication of a report entitled Inequality and the Stereotyping of Young People. It seems that at both ends of the human life-cycle there can be negative attitudes, understanding and treatment. This is not acceptable in either case. I add my support to Say No To Ageism week and congratulate the Equality Authority, the Health Service Executive and the National Council on Ageing and Older People for their initiative this year. The aim of the week is to promote new awareness and understanding of ageism. The website, the advertising campaign, the billboards and the anti-discrimination phone-in are all great ideas. When I visited the Equality Authority website, I did not see any mention of today's statements in the events taking place during the week. Perhaps this is something we should address for next year. At times we need to promote our role in this House.

Ageism is both distressing and paradoxical. The National Council on Ageing and Older People stated that ageism promotes the idea that older people are a burden, it can lead to neglect and social exclusion, diminish older people's self-esteem, reduce their participation in society and restrict the types and quality of services available to them. Ageism should be identified and eliminated. The Progressive Democrats Party takes a determined stance that ageism, like so many other pernicious "isms" is tackled at every turn. We are currently looking at new ways to ensure that policy and debate are not framed in such a way that they affect outcomes for older people, or attitudes and behaviour towards them. Ageism is seen as a pervasive problem that has profound effects on relationships between older people and society, as well as on the identity of older people themselves. We are not prepared to tolerate it and will continue to take active steps to challenge it.

Ageism and attitudes to older people in Ireland throws up something of a paradox. I was fascinated to read an article by Bob Carroll, the director of the National Council on Ageing and Older People, which pointed to research that indicates attitudes to older people are overwhelmingly positive, despite some differences in the strength of the attitudes according to age group. However, despite these positive attitudes, the article states that research showed there is an overwhelming perception that older people are treated less favourably because of their age. Most worryingly, the research suggests the State does not do enough for older people. There is on onus on all of us to address the root of that paradox, not only by taking steps to counter ageism, but to highlight the positive steps that are being taken for older people.

The Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children has a personal dedication to improve the lives of Ireland's older people. This is not just rhetoric and it means action. She responded to the report to which I referred, Perceptions of Ageism in Health and Social Services in Ireland. She also affirmed her commitment to promoting healthy ageing and to an age-friendly society, to ensuring that older people, who have contributed to the development of our society, are treated with dignity and respect when receiving health care services. The Department of Health and Children is liasing with the HSE to deal with the recommendations in the report.

Take the most recent budget as another example. The Tánaiste ensured that dedicated funds were made available for wide-ranging new services for older people. She secured approximately €150 million for this, which is the largest ever increase in funding for services to older people. Her work will mean a major improvement in home and community-based support for older people. It will mean that thousands of older people needing care will receive new services and support. The Tánaiste explicitly stated her determination to put in place comprehensive health and social care for older people, in a way that is reliable, that respects and values older people, and that is fair financially to them, their families and taxpayers alike.

I referred earlier to the perception that the State does not do enough for older people. This additional funding comes on top of the extra funding for disability, mental health and primary care in the Estimates for 2006. The Government has pursued a policy to develop the general primary care programmes so that acute hospitals and residential care will not dominate extra investment for health care, as they have in the past. Ageism must be tackled by listening to older people. These initiatives are a direct response by the State to the preference of older people to be cared for at home rather than going into residential care. It is estimated that 28% of nursing home residents have a low to moderate dependency level. Many of these residents might very well have continued to live at home if the right supports had been made available to them at the appropriate time. Research shows that people who are cared for in their own homes live longer and with a better quality of life.

This initiative by the Tánaiste is sometimes referred to as the "multimillion euro home care package". However, that title does not reflect the detail of the excellent broader measures provided by the Minister. For example, some €55 million has been provided in home care packages. However, there is additional funding, including €33 million for home helps, €9 million for day and respite care, €13 million for specialist palliative care, €5 million for meals on wheels, €1 million for sheltered housing, €4 million for initiatives in primary and community care for older people, and €28 million for development of the subvention scheme and 250 extra beds.

Significantly regarding today's discussion, €2 million has been provided to tackle the ugliest and most evil manifestation of ageism, elder abuse, something of which we should all be very conscious. It is not merely physical, since there is also psychological and sexual abuse and the intimidation of older people. The National Council on Ageing and Older People, whose function is to advise the Minister on all aspects of ageing and the welfare of older people, particularly on measures to promote their health, described the Tánaiste's work as both positive and significant. I know the House will share the view that we are making progress, although there is no doubt we have more to do.

I said a few moments ago that the onus to address the paradox of ageism falls on us all, not only by adopting measures to counter it but by highlighting the positive steps being taken to benefit older people. A 72 year old woman from Tipperary was recently on the waiting list for cataract removal for two years, and I found an interview with her very interesting. The mid-western area of the HSE had arranged for her to have them removed under the National Treatment Purchase Fund. As a result of the treatment, which I believe was undertaken in Tralee, she now has 20-20 vision. We must bear in mind how the quality of life of a 72 year old woman was improved so dramatically through that intervention. Those who speak so positively of initiatives being undertaken by the Department of Health and Children to improve their lives should be listened to.

This week we were asked by the Equality Authority, the Health Service Executive and the National Council on Ageing and Older People to Say No To Ageism, drawing public attention to its existence in society and identifying ways to address and overcome it. Today's statements are one example of how that can be done. The measures I mentioned as having been taken by the Government are only some examples of how the State can make a positive contribution and respond to older people's needs. However, if we are truly to address this issue we must all, as individuals, listen to older people, challenging others who exhibit ageist attitudes and behaviour, and most of all challenging ourselves to be vigilant and proactive regarding anything that we might do, even inadvertently, to propagate negative attitudes towards older people in Irish society.