Kenny suggests nursing homes 'watchdog'

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny suggested setting up a new agency to ensure proper standards in nursing homes.

"Why can we not show an effective Government response for these elderly and frail people?" he asked.

"Why do we not set up an independent patient safety authority which would focus on the good and the needs of the patients, and not be clouded by cover-ups between the health system and the department to the detriment of those people?"

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said that the Health (Hospitals Inspectorate) Bill 2006 would put the social services inspectorate on a statutory footing.

"The Bill will also contain provisions to underpin a more robust inspectoral system."

Mr Kenny accused the Government of taking the attitude that the elderly were "tedious and valueless".

He asked if this was because of "age itself, because the elderly have in some way withered beyond their shelf life or because of the vulnerability that comes with advancing years".

He added: "I do not think so. It is because the damning evidence of the men and women who died and were buried from Leas Cross is too stark and too blunt a reminder for the Government to take effective action to ensure it does not happen again."

Mr Kenny said the O'Neill report had warned that given the lack of structural funding, standards and oversights, "the standards in Leas Cross are very likely to be replicated to a greater or lesser extent in institutions throughout the long-care system".

Mr Kenny urged the House to think of how many men and women endured such conditions. "Think of them watching a report of these proceedings from their buxton chairs or their day rooms or bedrooms, asking why the Government has not done anything about it in the past 18 months. I ask the same question."

Mr Ahern said when the problems in Leas Cross were highlighted, the Government had closed it, which was the best course of action, given that it was not satisfied with the standard of care for residents. "We moved all its residents to decent accommodation with acceptable standards."

He added that the HSE had also proposed 32 elder abuse officers and the recruitment process was at an advanced stage. "The HSE has embarked on a process of standardising inspection reports, involving doctors, nurses, environmental health officers and others."