Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State and acknowledge her great efforts to make sure that this Bill has got this far. I acknowledge my former colleague in Cork South-West, former Minister of State, Jim Daly, who worked hard to make sure that this legislation went through the earlier parts of scrutiny. It is an important day for so many people. My office, like many offices, has been somewhat inundated by people asking when this legislation was going to happen and be signed into law. Will the Minister of State clarify her timelines regarding this legislation? Will there be a 90-day lag or is there a proposed date in mind?

In many ways, this legislation brings peace of mind to a farming and business community that unfortunately, since the set-up of this fair care deal, has felt disenfranchised and that it has been left with a legacy of debt because of the three-year rule. This change to the three-year rule is an important step. It sets out how a family can deal with the issues that so many Senators have mentioned today, such as family members who need to go into nursing care. It gives people peace of mind. People who are not in nursing care settings or are hoping not to go into them for a long time have a fear and worry about what if it happens. This is important legislation because of that. It brings clarity to an issue where there was a substantial liability on small family farms in particular. We have all heard the horror stories about families having to sell portions of land because of exceptionally long-term care, which caused a legacy issue for the entire family.

There are 700,000 people aged over 66 in Irish society. By 2050, more than 1.8 million will be over 66. That shows how the demographics and society are changing. Scenario planning for the future will be a significant issue. That is a big debate that we will have in this House and in the Oireachtas in future, about how we work with community and society to find a competent and caring place for our elderly. I am interested in the Minister of State's view on whether we can amend other schemes in future to have a home care deal that might be a fairer care model and how that can be tied in. People will probably do whatever they can, as my colleagues mentioned here today, to keep their loved ones at home. How can the State help them during those troublesome times? This is a positive step. I ask the Minister of State to clarify those issues if she can. I thank her again for her hard work in delivering an important Bill for society.