The truth about free personal care for the elderly

12.00.00am GMT Wed 12th Nov 2003

ALLIANCE Assembly candidate Kieran McCarthy has accused other parties of trying to con the elderly with promises of free personal care - which they already had the opportunity to introduce.

Mr McCarthy said: "Looking at the other parties' manifestos, it appears every party has promised to support free personal care for the elderly. Yet when Alliance proposed it in June 2002 to make it a reality, every other party in the Assembly betrayed the elderly and voted it down.

"They said we could not afford it - at a time when there was a budget under-spend of £1 million per day.

"If the other parties had supported Alliance's proposals at the time, many older people would not now be worrying about whether they might have to sell their home. The lack of free personal care is particularly of concern to those suffering from dementia, as they are being discriminated against in terms of free care.

"I would advise any older person who is promised free personal care on the doorstep to ask canvassers from other parties why they didn't vote for it last year. Alliance is the only party that has been consistent in its stance on free personal care for older people, and when the Assembly is reinstated, we will continue to fight for their rights. I hope that public pressure will force the other parties to back us."

See how they voted against free personal care for the elderly at http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/record/reports/020624.htm#8