The Independent TD for Mayo, Dr Jerry Cowley, has called for the abolition of health boards as part of "root and branch" reform of the health system.
Dr Cowley, who spoke at the publication of a report on the elderly in Connemara last night, also criticised the Government for failing to commit to abolishing the means test for carers.
He called for the introduction of financial incentives to allow communities to set up sheltered housing and nursing assistance for the elderly.
Community support for the elderly and affirmation of their right to live out their lives in their own locality is central to the report published yesterday by Comharchumann Sailearna, the Gaeltacht co-operative in Inverin, Co Galway.
Dr Cowley, who is a general practitioner, said that the health services were in a shambles and he called for the elimination of most of the health boards, who contributed nothing to improving matters. "Too much bureaucracy and political influence and very bad return for investment has worsened the health services and this can be seen by the fact that we spend more per capita in Ireland than in Britain, and yet have longer waiting lists," he said.
Reiterating points made in his maiden speech in the Dáil last Thursday, Dr Cowley said that the project which he was associated with in Mayo - St Brendan's Village in Mulranny - showed what could be done to support older people in their communities.
"For equality's sake also, supporting older people at home should attract the same financial support as is given to subventing people in nursing homes," Dr Cowley said.
Dr Cowley welcomed the report published last night. It looks at the provision of services for older people at a national, regional and local level.
Among its key findings are that there should be a rights-based and "client-centred" approach to services for older people.
