Madam, - Last Wednesday's attack on the Tánaiste by the Labour Party leader during leader's questions in the Dáil was malicious and unjust, in both substance and timing.
Not only did Pat Rabbitte grossly misrepresent the Tánaiste's position, but he did so knowing Mary Harney could not defend herself there and then, because of the standing orders of the House.
Mr Rabbitte wrongly and dishonestly claimed that the Tánaiste believes the elderly have no right to expect the State to pay for their care. His approach comes straight out of the "say it and let them deny it" boot-boy school of politics.
For the record, the Tánaiste's remarks were delivered at a special Progressive Democrats conference on ageing issues. She criticised the scenario in which some people simply abandon older family members, while still expecting to inherit their assets. She made it clear that we as a society should not be indifferent to this and that it was particularly unfair when we consider the thousands of families who do care for older relatives, many of whom ask for nothing.
The Labour Leader would do better to reflect on his party's appalling record on older people and carers. The carer's allowance, the carer's benefit and the respite care grant, were all introduced by Progressive Democrats/Fianna Fáil governments. Labour in government brought no initiatives for carers.
When Labour had control of Finance and Mr Rabbitte's Democratic Left had Social Welfare, all they could manage were dismal increases in pensions and the carer's allowance of just £7 and £9.50 respectively over a three-year period.
In 1997 they left the pension at £78. The Progressive Democrats promised and delivered the £100-a-week pension. Today it's at €167 and is steadily progressing towards €200 a week.
Since 1997 the carer's allowance has gone up by €68 to €158 a week.
The nursing home subvention scheme is up at €110 million since its inception ten years ago.
The home help scheme provides over €110 million to 14,000 people who help older people, and the number of people being helped is up from 16,800 in 1997 to over 25,000 today.
Thankfully we have left the days of Labour parsimony behind. So it is indeed rich to hear that party's leader adopt such a dishonest approach on his own record and the Tánaiste's statements.
Mary Harney has said she wants to start a genuine debate on issues around ageing . I welcome her success in this aim. But it is lamentable indeed that Labour, the party with no record to stand on in relation to older people, is opting only to throw mud rather than contribute constructively. - Yours, etc.,
MAE SEXTON, Progressive Democrats TD for Longford-Roscommon, Dáil Éireann, Dublin 2.