Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Mary was at five years old put into institutional care, along with her small sister of two years old. She had an horrific childhood, with horrors we can only imagine and which we have heard of through the years about the Magdalen laundries. She protected her small sister and got out of there at the age of 16, never to return. She married happily and has children of her own. She is blind. She asked her children to never allow her back into institutional care. Unfortunately, this is what is being offered by the wonderful staff at St. James's Hospital, who have cared for Mary. They have said she will probably need institutional care as opposed to home care. She wants to go home and she is familiar with that environment, given her disability of being blind. She had a wonderful life going in and out of social events, having hairdos and being in her local community. She was a very independent woman.

Since the news was broken last week by the staff in the hospital, she has experienced extreme distress. She is crying and cannot eat. She just wants her wishes to be fulfilled in that she can be cared for at home with whatever time she has left. She needs more than the average home care package. I know there are difficulties with these packages but I plead for the Minister of State to work with the other Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, on this and meet the family. We should look at the benefit to the State, as the cost of hospital bed stay is approximately €6,000 per week, the cost of residential care could be up to €2,000 per week and the cost of a home care package is significantly lower.

I would like a commitment from the Ministers of State, including Deputy Finian McGrath, who is aware of this, to meet the family and work out the best option in order to fulfil her request for whatever time this woman has left. We need to have compassion and empathy and we must act in the best interests and wishes of Mary.