I wish to briefly acknowledge the passing this morning of Liz Howard, a former president of the Camogie Association. She was a formidable - and I mean formidable - and passionate Tipperary woman. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dílis. I want to raise an issue in relation to elderly care. A man I have known all my life, who has dementia and other issues, has ended up in a midlands hospital. He has been there for months because I cannot find him a nursing home. This is going on around the country. We need a plan for people with dementia. Trust me when I say I know what I am talking about here because I deal with it every day in my own life. We need a plan. It is embarrassing. I am embarrassed that I cannot help this man. The HSE is embarrassed. It cannot find a place for him. I am talking to it daily; I will be talking to it after I leave this Chamber. We, collectively here, need to put a plan in place because people are living longer. Dementia is growing because people are living longer as well. We need a plan. This gentleman paid his taxes, worked hard and raised a fantastic family and he deserves the dignity of being placed in a proper home to live out the rest of his days. Financially, this is bad for the taxpayer. He is taking up a bed in an acute ward at €2,000 a day. Can we please look together, collectively, to build for the future the proper facilities for people like this gentleman? Can we find solutions for people who are left in this unfortunate scenario, which is totally and utterly unacceptable?

Sentiment score: 0.04