The Tánaiste's suggestion that families should make a financial contribution towards caring for their elderly relatives is "insulting", Labour Party leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte said today.
Speaking at a women's conference, he said he was taken aback by Ms Harney's comments last week when she posed the question: "Is it fair that people require the State to pick up the bill, and then they [the family] get the benefits when people die?"
Mr Rabbitte said: "When you say that families must take responsibility for their elderly members, in order to save the taxpayers the expense, you are also saying that elderly people should not object to being dependent.
"I found the Tánaiste's comments deeply insulting and offensive, to elderly people more than to anyone else".
Ms Harney's suggestion ignores the contribution made by many elderly people to the economic development and reflect a Government philosophy which is "determined to charge for everything", he said.
Ms Harney has acknowledged her comments are controversial and insists she is trying to stimulate debate on the matter.
"I genuinely believe we need to do more to encourage families to care for their loved ones," she told a PD conference on the elderly last Friday week.