Older people in need of long-term care in public nursing homes in Dublin were now facing a waiting period of up to 12.5 years, Mr Seán Ryan (Labour, Dublin North) claimed.
"At a time when the Tánaiste is lecturing families about their responsibilities regarding the care of the elderly, the Government is totally failing to meet its obligations in this area and is turning its back on the crisis that has been allowed to develop." Mr Ryan said many elderly people were forced to remain at home, relying on family support at a time when community care and home help services were being cut back. The Labour TD was speaking during a resumed debate on a Private Member's motion from the technical group demanding a better deal for the elderly.
Ms Fiona O'Malley (PD, Dún Laoghaire) said it never ceased to amaze her how Opposition parties managed to work themselves up into a frenzy of indignation at the mere mention of the Tánaiste and the Progressive Democrats.
Nobody, she said had a monopoly on social concern, social justice and care for the community.
"For our part, we fully accept that that applies to members of the technical group. We recognise fully the record of life expectancy and mortality in Ireland of its members from the republican movement. We recognise fully what the republican movement has done for active retirement in the cases of Det Garda Jerry McCabe, Mrs Jean McConville and many hundreds of others." Mr Martin Ferris (SF, Kerry North) said elderly people living in rural areas were often in a vulnerable position.
A Government amendment to the motion, endorsing its policy, was carried by 75 votes to 63.
