Rónán Mullen (Independent)

I support what has been said by various speakers, particularly the remarks of Senator Bradford. I, too, seek a debate on how we are treating the most vulnerable members of our society, particularly older persons in nursing home care. As Senator Bradford correctly pointed out, this concept of a one-size-fits-all solution to the needs of older persons in our society is to be deplored. According to today's The Irish Times, 10% of older people in nursing home care are there for social reasons while 30% of long-stay residents have low to medium dependency. It really should stop the traffic that there is no independent scrutiny of residential facilities for older and younger persons with disabilities. It should also stop the traffic that where complaints are made, there is no transparency in how they are handled. We read of cases where investigations took place but we do not know the outcomes of those investigations. We even hear of people, against whom complaints were made, being allegedly moved to another part of the service. Where have we heard that previously?