Professor Eamon O'Shea:

I want to reiterate the points made by people who are closer to the issues than me. However, there are two aspects to be considered, the first of which is the large numbers, including the 50,000 who have been diagnosed and the multiples of that who will be affected in the next few years. How we deal with that will be a seriously significant issue, not only in terms of the issue of dementia but in the funding of dementia supports. Equally, when we talk about big numbers, it is easy to forget about the issue of dementia and the person-centred, personalised care that recognises the dignity and humanity of the issue for people and their families. That will be a key aspect in the coming years.

We are in a position now where we have a strategy. The key issue is the implementation of that strategy, which must be accelerated. Having a strategy is one thing, but implementing it is another. We need to recognise what I just mentioned, namely, the number of people affected and the individualisation associated with the illness. We have some examples of projects in south Tipperary and other areas where there are huge gains to be made from considering the social aspects of the disease and how communities can be mobilised if there is significant public investment in dementia. If we could merge the notion of the local with the issue of public support for people with dementia, we would be in a position to say we are addressing a significant issue. The opportunities are many.