James Bannon (Fine Gael)

I am not blaming the Tánaiste alone. However, she bears a large amount of responsibility for problems we have encountered in the health service.

There is nothing perfect about this Bill. The explanatory memorandum is totally inadequate and is almost identical to the press release announcing the publication of the Bill. The purpose of the explanatory memorandum is to explain the Bill section by section. Given that the legislation has taken a year to prepare, the lack of clarity in the so-called explanatory memorandum is inexcusable. What chances have the elderly got of gaining information from such a slipshod document? This does not apply only to my side of the House, I know members on the Government's side are very disappointed with it also.

My colleague Senator Browne has studied the various sections of the Bill that require amendment and, like the explanatory memorandum, are far from perfect. I will not waste time by going over ground covered by Senator Browne, Senator Ryan and other Members from this side of the House. In the interests of the elderly in State care every "i" must be dotted and every "t" crossed. Their hard work and sacrifice brought the country to its current position of financial strength and we owe them no less. These are the people who slaved in difficult times rearing large families and they have been treated shabbily. It is important that the Bill looks after them properly. Many of these people experience great anxiety, indeed some went to their graves worrying, and this Government has done little but neglect them.