Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I concur with Senator Murphy in congratulating the boxers on a fantastic achievement.

I ask that the Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for mental health and older people, Deputy Butler, come to the House to discuss the ongoing issues in nursing homes and care of the elderly. The Home and Community Care Ireland annual conference today will hear that six in ten people are concerned about how they will be cared for in old age. It is a worrying and startling figure. I appreciate that the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, is doing a tremendously good job and has gained a welcome increase in the budget as regards the amount of money available, but Nursing Homes Ireland has told us that 16 nursing homes have closed in the past year, with 450 beds lost. It is a complete failure of the system if 450 beds are lost or 16 nursing homes are closed. I would like to have a debate with the Minister of State about the matter because a society is judged by how we look after our elderly at their time of most particular need. I know we want to keep people at home as long as possible and that is the overarching philosophy and principal of Government policy but it requires community intervention and a radical change of policy in how we look after people. We have made changes to the fair deal scheme and that is welcome but we should be looking at and doing other things as well.

I also ask that we invite the Minister for the Environment, Climate Action and Communications to the House to discuss the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, report that revealed that only 51% of Ireland's sewage is treated to EU standards to protect the environment. The European average, according to the EPA, is 90% and if we are to have a discussion about the European Union water framework, it is important we have that debate with the Minister as a matter of urgency. It is worrying to see this. When Noel Dempsey was the Minister a big sewerage treatment plant was built in Dublin, which was meant to be the pathway and panacea for everything, and suddenly today we see that only 51% is treated. It is important to hold those debates as a matter of urgency.

I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on the visit of the President of Portugal yesterday. It was great to have him in the Chamber. It illustrates the importance of this House and I commend the Cathaoirleach on that.