Social Welfare Bill passed by 68 votes to 50

A woman whose husband had Alzheimer's disease was forced to tie him to her in bed to prevent him wandering during the night, the Dáil was told during the final debate on the Social Welfare Bill, which was passed by 68 votes to 50. The Bill enacts the social welfare changes announced in the Budget.

Mr Sean Crowe (SF, Dublin South-West) said the 62-year-old man was blind, aggressive, incontinent and in need of full-time care.

He was hospitalised after he fell out of bed and the hospital was now anxious to discharge him and free-up the bed, which cost €2,000 a week.

A place in a specialist Alzheimer's unit would cost €1,000 a week and the woman could not afford to pay this, even if she received a pension.

Mr Crowe cited the case as an example of just one family being let down by the system.

Speaking on an amendment calling for the abolition of the means test for carers, the Sinn Féin TD said it was "crazy to keep people in hospital because we do not have facilities on the outside while carers cannot afford to have their loved ones at home". He said that "if the financial support is in place, people will avail of the opportunity to care for their elderly or incapacitated relatives".

Labour's Social and Family Affairs spokesman, Mr Willie Penrose said the €180 million cost of abolishing the means test for carers' allowance should be found.

"I am prepared to help the Minister for Finance find it so we can give it to those carers who are saving the State many millions of euro every year."

For carers, the requirement to submit to a means' test for the allowance was unfair, inequitable and demeaning to the dignity of carers, Mr Penrose said.

Fine Gael's spokesman, Mr Michael Ring, said that every report had shown that people felt much safer and secure being looked after in their own homes.

Ms Coughlan said it was her fervent wish to expand the carers' scheme further.

She could not accept Opposition amendments but "the ethos of it has been accepted on the basis of the discussions that will take place on home subvention and on long-term care needs".