Ciarán Cannon (Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister for his most conciliatory approach to the legislation up to this point. He even engaged in a conversation with Members outside the Chamber and this is very much appreciated. On his part he proposed to consider addressing the anomaly in respect of elderly people who have to move into permanent nursing care so that they might not have the levy applied to them. I hope he will arrive at that conclusion.

Senator Doherty is correct in pointing out that this issue arises time and again in rural Ireland. Sons or daughters who are willing to take on the care of their often physically or mentally very ill elderly parents and choose to accommodate them within or immediately adjoining their own dwelling are taking the burden of care from the State and agreeing to undertake it themselves. The State has encouraged this over recent years through the provision of home care packages and it is a very laudable aspect of our health care provision. On the one hand, therefore, we encourage people to do this but on the other we seek to extract €200 per year from them for choosing to assist the State in the care of its elderly people. It will cost €200 per year this year but who knows what it will cost next year or the year after.

Like Senator Doherty, I do not believe for a moment the Minister intended this should occur when he first began to look at and propose this legislation. He cast a very wide net to go fishing for tuna but he is catching a great number of dolphins which is not what he intended. He conceded he will go back and look again at the issue of the elderly people moving to permanent nursing home care. I implore him to undertake to look at this issue too.