People throughout the country are shocked and justifiably outraged at the revelations regarding the abuse of senior citizens in nursing homes. They hold the State culpable because it has failed to protect senior citizens. Is the Taoiseach aware that many thousands of senior citizens throughout the country do not need residential care but need services within their communities in order that, in their later years, they are not found isolated and alone? There is a need for a network of day care centres and, specifically, for the immediate resourcing of those centres already in place but as yet neither staffed nor resourced.

Is the Taoiseach aware that there are newly built centres, including health centres, with specially designated day care units for senior citizens, for example the centre at Cootehill, County Cavan, in my constituency, lying idle because they have neither the personnel nor the equipment to commence services, including, in the case of Cootehill, the provision of a bus service to access some 200 senior citizens from a wide hinterland? Is the Taoiseach aware that the then Minister for State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Callely, gave a commitment that the centre at Cootehill would be up and running for our senior citizens in advance of last year's local and European elections?

What will the Taoiseach do to ensure communities such as Cootehill, County Cavan, and elsewhere have the same level of service and enjoy the same access to day care provision as other communities throughout the country? Will he insist on lifting the staff ceiling currently in place within the health services to accommodate the staffing needs of these facilities? Will he arrange for the provision of the additional financial allocations necessary to see these essential services up and running, and not ask communities and senior citizens, in the twilight years of their lives, to accept the promise that the Government and the services will look more favourably on their needs in the coming year?

Thankfully, day care facilities in most of the former health board areas have very good accommodation. I have visited many health care units throughout the country, new and old, which are well staffed and provide recreational, medical and, in many cases, meal services during the daytime. These services are being extended every year.

The Government is spending €1 billion per year on the care of the elderly, which is a significant amount. There is a capital programme in each region, which includes allocation for the costs associated with such programmes, although I do not have details on individual programmes. Resources are being constantly expanded and extended. Each year we try to improve services and bring more on-stream, in the rural heartlands as well as the cities. We will continue to do so. If the Deputy wishes to provide me with the details of the centre in Cootehill, I will get somebody to look at the matter.

Perhaps Deputy Ó Caoláin might instruct Sinn Féin representatives in Finglas to stop opposing the building of a centre for older people.

There is no provision for Members other than Deputy Ó Caoláin and the Taoiseach on this question. Deputy Ó Caoláin, without interruption.

I welcome the fact the Taoiseach has invited a submission on the specific case to which I refer. I take this opportunity not only to appeal in regard to the Cootehill case but all cases, because, while capital provision has been provided, running costs must also be provided. In the case of the centre at Cootehill, which has a staff allocation of 5.8 by HSE assessment, estimated running costs are of the order of €273,000 in a single year in regard to the provision of staff and all other necessary resources.

Is the Taoiseach aware the HSE primary, community and continuing care services section stated that because the Government has ostensibly prioritised the ten-point plan regarding accident and emergency services and the allocation of further investment in the disability services in the current year, it is not in a position to provide for the up and running status of centres such as the Cootehill centre? Does he accept that today, on the first day of the sixth month of the year, it is hard to see how such commitments, important priorities though they are, could have left parked the important resourcing and staffing of these centres?

The commitment of whole communities, which have laboured to put the bricks and mortar in place over many years, to continue to give voluntary service to these centres needs to be met by the Government. It is incumbent on Government to respond positively and immediately. If we continue to put this off, year in and year out — there has been a three year delay in regard to the example I gave — how many of those senior citizens, who have laboured, campaigned, lobbied and raised funds through the years, will never see up and running the fruits of their labour, and will never get the chance to enjoy a day care centre in their community? We need to act now. That is my appeal.

I have no argument with continuing the provision of day care centres. As I stated, we spend €1 billion annually on the care of the elderly. Every year, we have increased resources in this area and opened more care centres and community centres. Many of these are helped by excellent voluntary community workers, who raise funds and give assistance, sometimes by providing land. All of these services are greatly appreciated and help to provide the service.

The capital programme in health has been allocated €600 million for this year. We are constantly providing new and additional services for senior citizens, including longer hours, in complexes and adjacent to health centres. I am sure all of us, as public representatives, attend openings and meetings to lobby for staff and improved services. The situation is improving and I accept this must continue. The Deputy's point is that we should continue to do that, and we will.