The Government was warned yesterday by Age Action Ireland against trying to enforce a legal obligation on people to pay for the long-term care of older parents.
The organisation was responding to an article in yesterday's Irish Times in which the Minister of State for Health and Children, with responsibility for services for older people, Mr Ivor Callely, confirmed he was looking at reintroducing "family assessments".
Under such a scheme the incomes of sons and daughters would be taken into account when deciding the level of subvention paid by the State towards the care of elderly parents. Family assessment would also require the introduction of new legislation, which Age Action strongly opposes.
"We firmly believe that there is a big difference between a legal and a moral obligation to support elderly parents," said an Age Action spokesman, Mr Paul Murray.
"The Government will be treading very murky waters if it tries to enforce a legal obligation that the extended family should support the long-term care needs of elderly parents," he said.
"Older people as of right have entitlements and the Government has a duty of care to follow through," he added.
The introduction of family assessment "could lead to enormous hardship as families try to cope with mortgages, child education and increasing inflation", the organisation said.
Mr Murray said people should not refuse to assist elderly parents if that was needed, and it was within their means. It would be extremely unjust if the State were to renege on its duty to care for older people who had served the State for 30 or 40 years, he added.