Bernard J. Durkan
Question:143 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will provide support for senior citizens as provided by Age Concern in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22591/00]
Written Answers. - Senior Citizens' Services.
I understand that Age Concern is a voluntary organisation in the United Kingdom working through a network of Age Concern groups campaigning for the rights of older people as active and equal citizens. Age Concern also provide services such as day care, residential care and domiciliary care to older people. Funding is provided by both the statutory, public and business sector.
As far as this country is concerned, the Department of Health and Children supports a range of organisations who promote the interests of older people including: Age Action Ireland; the Alzheimer's Society of Ireland; the Carers Association; Federation of Active Retirement Associations; Irish Senior Citizens Parliament; the Irish Association of Older People, and Muintír na Tire – for its Community Alert scheme.
These organisations provide a range of services which complement and assist the statutory sector at a local level in the provision of services to older people such as: providing information, undertaking research and promoting better understanding of the needs of older people; promoting and encouraging active ageing through various projects and the support of active retirement associations; providing day care services, for example, for Alzheimer's and Dementia sufferers; and supporting carers' by the provision of additional home help support and respite care.
The National Council on Ageing and Older People was established in March 1997 in succession to the National Council for the Elderly. The function of the council is to advise the Minister for Health and Children on all aspects of age ing and the welfare of older people, either at its own initiative or at the request of the Minister. The council also has a mandate to ensure co-ordination between public bodies at national and local levels in the planning and provision of services for older people.