Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 Jan 2001

Vol. 529 No. 1

Written Answers. - Health Services.

Bernard Allen

Question:

600 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to a study carried out by a person (details supplied) which showed that the cost of caring for people with dementia here is such that the allocation of resources to tackle the condition in recent decades is falling behind general health care expenditure. [1392/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

I have received the report of the National Council on Ageing and Older People, "The Costs of Caring for People with Dementia and Related Cognitive Impairments", the contents of which I am having examined in my Department.

A number of initiatives have been taken in relation to the improvement of dementia services. Significant additional funding (£4 million) has been made available in the period 1999-2001 for the express purpose of providing assistance to carers. Additional funding of £1.7 million has been made available to the Alzheimer's Society of Ireland for expansion of their services, particularly day-care. A number of new community nursing units for older people, which have been constructed in recent years, provide respite and day-care for people with dementia. A further 30 such units are expected to be put in place during the lifetime of the national development plan. In addition, purpose-built units for the care of older people who are mentally infirm will be con structed in a number of locations such as Galway, Newcastlewest and Carndonagh, under the national development plan. Resources have also been provided to expand the provision of specialist services in psychiatry of old age. It is planned that by the end of 2001 some 14 consultant-led services will be in place.

I accept the need to further develop services for people with dementia and their carers, as outlined in the council's report, particularly in relation to meeting the preferences of older people to be supported in their own homes. It is my intention to continue with initiatives commenced in recent years of allocating additional developmental resources towards the build-up of community supports for older people, including those with dementia.