Alex White (Labour)

I support Senator Fitzgerald's call for an adequate debate in this House on the nursing homes Bill when it is introduced. There have been reports in recent days on this matter and I ask the Leader to confirm whether it is intended to publish this Bill on Thursday this week or whether the matter has been clarified in the past few hours. It would be a matter of concern if such an important piece of legislation was rushed through the Houses of the Oireachtas, to use the phrase mentioned in newspapers in recent days. For the first time in the history of social provision in Ireland, it is proposed a levy be applied to the estates of deceased persons. I am not aware of any provision or precedent in any area of health care, in Ireland or elsewhere, that allows levies to be applied to a person's estate after he or she has died. This is to be imposed on people with illnesses associated with old age, such as dementia, but not on other ill people. I hope it is not proposed that we levy the estates of people who suffer other illnesses during their lives. This major piece of legislation represents a huge change and deserves a full debate in the House.