Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 September 2023
43. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the progression of, and the timeline for, the establishment of a commission on care for older people and the establishment of a commissioner for ageing and older people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40604/23]
View answerAcknowledging the disproportionately negative impact of the pandemic on older persons, the Programme for Government (2020) commits to the establishment of a commission on care that will ‘assess how we care for older people and examine alternatives to meet the diverse needs of our older citizens’, learning the lessons from COVID 19.
While the scope of the commission has yet to be approved, it is envisaged that consideration of matters such as whether there is a need to establish a commissioner for ageing and older people will fall within the commission’s remit.
In 2022 preliminary research was undertaken within the Department of Health in preparation for the establishment of the commission, the scoping and planning for which are being further advanced as a priority in 2023. It is expected the proposal for the commission will be considered by the Government in the coming weeks and that, if approved, the commission will be formally established by January 2024.
