Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 September 2021
832. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health if he has engaged with an organisation (details supplied) in relation to its Budget 2022 proposals; if he will ensure a continued expansion of funding for Alzheimer’s services similar to Budget 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46778/21]
View answerI received a pre-budget submission from the Alzheimer's Society of Ireland on September 9th 2021 which my Department, Minister Butler and I have considered ahead of Budget 2022. Unfortunately, due to diary commitments, I was unable to attend Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland’s pre-budget launch.
As Minister for Health I am committed to the implementation of the Irish National Dementia Strategy, which aims to improve how we provide care for people living with dementia. The National Dementia Office, established within the HSE, oversees implementation of the Strategy.
As the Deputy will be aware in Budget 2021, the Government allocated €12.9 million for a number of dementia specific measures. This allocation comprised of €7m for an additional 250,000 hours of home support for people living with dementia, €0.9m to expand the dementia advisor service operated by the Alzheimer Society of Ireland and €5m for implementation of the National Dementia Strategy.
With regards to allocation of funding for 2022, as the Deputy will appreciate, I cannot comment at this stage on the outcome of the estimates process, or matters which will be the subject of national service planning in 2022.
