Nursing home standards - Vulnerable elderly must be protected

FOR a nation that likes to boast of its newfound status as one of Europe’s wealthiest economies, Ireland lags far behind other states on social issues.

Shamefully, the Government’s spend on the care of older people is the lowest in the EU.

This damning indictment comes not from the opposition benches but from an official think-tank, the National Economic and Social Forum. Underlining the urgency of caring for the elderly, it calls for regular inspections of nursing homes, with penalties and fines for failing to meet the required standards. At present, inspections come under the umbrella of the Health Service Executive but results are not published.