Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her reply. We have seen from attempts to deal with the Covid crisis, particularly in the context of nursing homes, that it really makes no difference whether people are being cared for in the HSE sector or in the private sector when it comes to certain responsibilities the State has to keep people safe. People who go into private nursing homes often do so under the fair deal scheme, which is a system set up to enable them to access their rights as citizens.

In matters related to healthcare and their financial welfare, there must be a view that all should be entitled to the same level of protection. I have said this matter could be remedied by a very small change to the 2006 Act. We live at a time when bank branches, building societies and post offices are continuing to close and are moving their services online, following a decade in which there has been significant consolidation in the number of credit unions. Older people cannot have the types of personal relationships with the staff of financial institutions as they had in the past and they have far fewer ways to manage their money. This facility could improve the situation by addressing the needs of vulnerable people and ensuring they to are protected to some degree at least, but hopefully to a large degree, from any kind of exploitation or financial misfortune.