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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 29 Mar 1979

Vol. 313 No. 5

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Care of Aged.

26.

asked the Minister for Health the conclusions, if any, contained in his Department's survey into the need for special accommodation for old age people in Dublin.

The survey which has been carried out was concerned with ascertaining factual information about the number of elderly persons in certain institutions and about certain characteristics, such as age, social background and physical and mental abilities of these persons. The report of the survey, containing this information, was given to the health boards to help them in planning services for the elderly. It did not contain recommendations on special accommodation needs for the elderly.

27.

asked the Minister for Health if a policy for the aged in Ireland has yet been prepared.

The current policy in relation to care of the aged is mainly based on the recommendations of the Inter-Departmental Committee on the Care of the Aged published in 1968.

The policy has, of course, been kept under review in line with changing needs and expectations. My Department are just completing a review of our approach to meeting accommodation needs for the aged. This has been done in co-operation with the Department of the Environment and a discussion document will be circulated shortly to health boards and local authorities.

My Department are at present considering a review of the whole range of services for the elderly in the light of today's circumstances. This review will pay particular attention to preventing illness and promoting health among the elderly. It will also look at how we can best ensure a unified approach in both planning and delivery of services. While this overall review is taking place health boards will be requested to conduct local studies and prepare integrated programmes which would take account of the particular needs in their own areas. A variety of approaches will be encouraged.

I anticipate that the review will confirm the central role of the voluntary organisations in the planning and provision of community services for the aged. Social service councils and similar local committees are the channel for the voluntary element without which no service can be rightly described as a community service.

Would the Minister agree that the document to which he refers which was issued in 1968 is very much outdated and has been overtaken by events? How long will it take for this review to be completed, and when is it envisaged that some form of policy in relation to the aged can be put into action?

I suggest that we have a continuing policy for the aged and it is a fairly comprehensive policy. There are certainly deficiencies in it but the approach is to continue to improve it all the time. What is involved in the review is not so much a question of bringing forward a totally new service, but really seeing what deficiencies time and changing circumstances have brought about in the existing services and how these can be improved.

Would the Minister consider that the needs of elderly people living alone in the recent bad spell were met by the policy to which he now refers?

I accept that the very severe winter imposed considerable hardship on elderly people and on others, and especially on old people living alone. That is an area to which I am giving immediate, urgent attention.

Would the Minister state what should have been done for those people living alone and without fuel?

On the fuel question the Deputy will have to accept that there are a variety of different views as to what the appropriate solution is. I assure him that I am engaged in very real, earnest discussions about the whole area at present.

Does the Minister ——

Question No.

28. We cannot have a personal discussion on all aspects of the aged.

With all due respect, Sir, I consider that some people died in the recent hard spell because they had no fuel; they died from hypothermia due to the cold. The Minister has said that he recognises this need and he is going to have discussions.

I would not go that far.

He recognises the need. Would the Minister say what discussions are the answer to the problems of these people or would he have considered it more advantageous to provide contingency funds so that they might be supplied with electric blankets, electric fires and so on?

The Deputy must not exaggerate the situation and neither must he minimise what was done. On another occasion here he attempted to convey the impression that we were oblivious to the situation, that we were uncaring in regard to these people. I reject any such accusation. A great deal of positive help was provided on an emergency basis and what the Deputy is talking about, blankets, electric fires and so on were provided in an effort to cope with the situation. I think the Deputy will accept, at least he should accept, that there is no lack of goodwill or of caring on the part of the Eastern Health Board, who are the people primarily concerned and who did everything possible to deal with any case that came to their attention.

Is the Minister aware that these old people who are living alone were merely left with a number of dockets dating back for months but which they were not able to exchange for fuel?

I am well aware of that.

Then, how can he correlate that with the the statement that the health board were caring and concerned and when I was telephoning them daily but getting no response in regard to the provision of alternative means of heating for these people?

That is not true.

I suggest that the Minister is out of touch with the affairs of the health boards and of the Department.

I am very much in touch with these matters.

The remaining questions will appear on the Order Paper for Tuesday next, 3 April 1979.

I am disappointed that the Chair has disallowed my Private Notice Question.

Matters that have been ruled out of order may not be raised in the House.

I wish to raise the matter on the Adjournment. It relates to the assertion that Irish fish are to be exchanged for Norwegian oil.

The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.

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