David Norris (Independent)

I wish to acknowledge the presence in the Visitors Gallery of an old friend and former Lord Mayor of Dublin, Mr. Michael O'Halloran. We need to adopt a positive view and a bit of vision. Mr. Michael O'Halloran showed vision by founding the Irish Senior Citizens' Parliament. We need to think not just in terms of a medical model, although it is terribly important, but also in terms of the positive aspects of ageing and how elderly people can be facilitated. I must declare an interest because I am an OAP, old age pensioner, without the "P", to which I am entitled, because I did not take my contributory pension. I did take the bus pass which is extremely important because it is practical. Another practical idea is encouraging older people to contribute to their community, helping them to return to education, return to college and to participate. We must remember that however old one is, one is still a citizen. We must recognise the citizenship of the elderly and the importance of their participation in society. The more they participate the more curious they are, the more they will be involved, the better quality of life they will enjoy and the longer they will live. It is important that we support elderly people in this way.

I welcome the report as far as it goes. It seems to be a good one. I agree with my colleagues that spoke previously when they asked for the national positive ageing strategy to be published urgently. It is significant and I ask the Minister of State to give a commitment on its publication if she has not already done so.

Community and care services are fine as long as people know about them. Information must be made available in order that people can access them. Very often people simply do not have information. I remember having the same battle many years ago when citizens advice bureaux were closed by a previous Government. It was the meanest cut of all because the closures were used to stop people availing of services to which they were entitled. There should be clarity and it should be statutorily based. I am relying on an extremely good briefing by Older and Bolder that is in the classic Albert Reynolds format of just one page. The organisation called for health staff to carry out an audit. It would be very useful because then we would have information to act on. I also agree with its call for a register of professional home carers. The Minister of State knows of an instance because she responded brilliantly to a case on carers that I raised with her. There are cases where carers have language difficulties. They simply cannot communicate because they do not know the English language. There is also a lack of qualifications, a lack of understanding, the giving of inappropriate medication and turning up drunk for work. We need to have information on the quality of services provided because sometimes the families are heartbroken by the poor quality of a care provider.

With regard to the question of legal consent and respect, that is fine but let us have it in practice. I have raised the issue for constituents. As the Minister of State will know, people were evicted from the Bethany Home, Carlow, by HIQA and the HSE against their consent which was a legal requirement and without the consent of their families. They were just turfed out. The home was not in a bad condition. The same happened at a centre in Abbeyleix which I visited and viewed. Unfortunately, I was given directions to travel through Carlow but I should have known better and listened to my good Laois instinct. Again, it is a superb facility and the Minister of State knows of it. The facility has had a little remission that I would like to see continued.

I wish to refer to the Cottage Hospital on Valentia Island where a community exists and people visit their hospital residents, including the two residents that do not have relatives. There was a proposal to split the residents up and disperse them on the mainland thus destroying their island community. I have made the argument before but I shall not repeat myself because I want the Senator to have his full time.