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.