Rónán Mullen (Independent)

While I do not fault the Minister of State, there is an absence of good faith on the Government's part and, therefore, to call it a fair deal is something of a euphemism. It is a fair deal given what is available to people, but it is not a fair deal compared to their entitlements. That is why we are concerned about a situation where four fifths of a person's income is to be taken in payment for nursing home care and up to 15% of the value of the person's home is taken after his or her death. This is a remarkable and unprecedented apportionment by the State to itself of the property of others. When one compares that with what a person might pay for private health insurance and what he or she might do with his or her resources to guarantee certain services, it is not unreasonable to suggest that people, so much of whose property is being taken from them, should be given the crème de la crème of services. That is why it should not just be bed and board. No matter how much we are coming to the rescue of different individuals, the fact is that this is a remarkable and unprecedented move by the State. In exchange for that, people should be guaranteed everything they need. They should have five-star nursing home care, including therapeutic and other services which they might need.

Many people are concerned that as a result of going into a nursing home, they will lack access to things they need, be it a chiropodist, an occupational therapist or whatever. It would be appalling if in this Bill, which is proposed as visionary and compassionate, we were shunting people into the sidings where they do not have access to the full range of services to address their needs.