Larry Butler (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Bill. It is important given that people are living much longer. We need to provide for people in their old age. When it comes to the time that a person will require care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, this Bill will come into play.

An important point is that older people who are healthy and living in the community do not need care 24 hours day, seven days a week such as that provided in a nursing home. Older people should be encouraged and supported to live in their communities for as long as possible. The health benefits of day care centres, which provide various activities for older people to enjoy life, their community and surroundings, are evident. This Bill provides the security, dignity and stability that older people require.

The standards required to be maintained in nursing homes is a vital aspect of the Bill but standards are only as good as the people who manage these provisions and those who carry out inspections provided for in the legislation for the benefit of the elderly. It is also fair to note that people like to make a contribution towards the cost of their care. It has always been the way that older people residing in nursing homes made a contribution, through their pension, savings or some other means, towards their care. That brings dignity to the care that is being given and it gives the person receiving the care a sense of independence. It is important we maintain that type of service for older people.

The purpose of the Bill is to equalise the State support for public and private long-term care recipients, render private long-term care affordable and remove the anxiety of obtaining such care for people. Many old people probably did not think about what would happen when they required nursing care 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is fine in cases where the family and home care help is in situ but often that can be too great a burden for the family and the next step is for the person to be well looked after in a nursing home but a home is the last place I would recommend any older person to be sent. Community care is vital. We must ensure such care does not become part of community care. The care provided for in this Bill is a secondary level of care and a last resort for people who cannot manage on their own.

I would like to deal with the part of the Bill that deals with property. The approach taken has sought to be as fair as possible when it comes to dealing with a property and a contribution. It is fair that 85% of the property value will continue to be available to the siblings or the family who is left behind. The cut-off thresholds of €72,000 for a couple or €36,000 for a single person are correct, but the Minister might examine those levels in terms of inflation because they may need to be adjusted. The same may apply to the property aspect in that an adjustment might also be required. The Minister of State might examine the Bill in terms of those two issues which, on the one hand, would protect the home owner and, on the other, would protect the State. Those in this House have an obligation to ensure that when legislation is passed it is fair and is seen to be fair. That is the reason it is important for us to get this legislation right.

The main provision of the Bill is the assessment of individuals to ascertain whether they need to be provided with long-term or residential care. That is an important point, namely, the evaluation of a person who is to receive long-term care and whether that is done in a correct way. I am not sure how that will work. However, it is important that this Bill is not used to put people into such facilities before their time. This is something about which we should be careful. It is down to management and assessment. Those who are dealing with older people - doctors and so forth - must ensure they are protected in this regard. We all know that the last place a person in his or her final years would wish to go is a nursing home. He or she would rather stay in the community for as long as possible.

I thank the Minister of State for her hard work on the legislation and welcome her to her new portfolio. I am delighted to see her here today.