Brendan Ryan (Labour)

Yes, I apologise. That another Department has done it proves that it is a bureaucratic simplicity rather than a sensible measure. Something was needed in a hurry and people thought that prices in Dublin were higher. The Dublin region is where house prices are higher, not Dublin. Perhaps there is a plan to extend boundaries of Dublin to include north Kildare, north Wicklow, south Louth and east Meath. For planning reasons this may be a good idea but there is no reason two houses next door to each other should be evaluated for eligibility differently. If it is not logical, it will not work. We will be back with this Government or another remedying an anomaly that went unnoticed in the Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill. There will be an implication that it slipped through unnoticed, although it did not. It is a profound mistake.

All these means tests are appalling, but that is a separate issue. If such tests are operated, the first requirement is that it should be simple and transparent, but this stipulation is neither. Senator Browne has already mentioned the reason, the lack of index-linking. As a result of this we will require amending legislation every year or the number of eligible people will be affected. This issue revolves around simplicity and a calculation of what level it should be pitched at to have an appropriate number of eligible people.