Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will keep my contribution brief because I chaired this debate up to a few minutes ago. Whatever the reshuffle is, I hope it is right for the Minister of State. Many comments were made in her favour. I will refer to when, some time ago, she visited the Roscommon-Galway region. I saw the respect she has for older people from watching how she engaged and sat down with them. We spent a day on the road and met so many groups. The feel-good factor for everybody involved was fantastic. I hope that she is allowed to continue that work for a long period because she is very good at it.

I will make a few very brief comments. I will not repeat much of what has been said except to say that we all acknowledge staff and what they do. Senator Kyne brought up a very important point about workers from abroad who work in this sector, who are very caring and very good with people. I hear this over and over again. Sometimes, a challenge for private nursing homes relates to older buildings and HIQA. We have to acknowledge that HIQA does a very important job but when improvements have to be made to an older building, it is more difficult. That is a challenge for some private nursing homes.

I will return to a point that was mentioned already. Three nursing homes have closed in my area. Tearmainn Bhríde, near Athlone, was mentioned. There is another at Ballyleague, Lanesborough, which is right beside me, that is now occupied by other people. At the same time, we have another difficulty, because there is now a planning difficulty at the Sacred Heart Hospital and Care Home in Roscommon, which has been a fantastic centre for older people and to which this Government has committed another 50-bed unit, including financially and otherwise. There is an issue with the building and bat flight paths, and the project has been held up as a result.I just hope that a way around this will be found and this matter can be sorted out. If we cannot get this unit up there, then it is going to be very difficult for the older population in County Roscommon and in the Galway region.

Generally, however, I compliment the Minister of State and the Government. Help has been provided to this sector in many respects. The nursing homes know that although they still face many financial challenges, without the financial support they would not have got as far as they have now. The battle is still ongoing. I again thank the Minister of State for coming in. This has been an important debate. Let us hope that at all times we are committed to doing the very best for our older population. They have served our country and done their duty and surely it is up to us now, because we will get to this stage as well, to give them every support.