Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am responding to the Deputy because the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch is not available. I listened with interest to Deputy Dooley. He is living in the fantasy world occupied by the rest of his Fianna Fáil colleagues. He seems to be in denial of his party's responsibility for the destruction of the economy and fiscal base of this State. He is also in denial of his party's responsibility for entering into the agreement necessary with the troika, and in denial of his party signing on to arrangements with the troika which require annually a substantial reduction in the funds borrowed by this State to pay for essential services, and a consequent need for a reduction in public expenditure. There is not a single item affecting a reduction in public expenditure to which the Fianna Fáil Party is in agreement. One wonders if, when they entered into the agreement with the troika, they had any particular knowledge of what they were doing or any idea of how they would implement it. If there are difficulties of a financial nature confronting some elderly people, the foundation for those difficulties was tragically laid by the gross ineptitude of the Government in which Deputy Dooley's party played a leadership role.

As regards the specifics of some of the issues the Deputy raised, the programme for Government has committed to completing and implementing the national positive ageing strategy in order that older people are recognised, supported and enabled to live independent full lives. While Ireland currently has a significantly younger population profile than most of the rest of the EU and a higher birth rate, demographic projections point to significantly greater numbers of older people living in the State in the years ahead. The population of Ireland is, therefore, projected to age rapidly within a relatively short time.

Traditionally, old age has been associated with retirement, illness and dependency. Policies and services that reflect this traditional view of society do not reflect today's reality. Indeed, most people now remain independent into very old age. Planning for ageing populations must take account of the fact that a range of factors impact on a person's health and quality of life as he or she grows older. Those factors include, for example, socio-economic status, housing, transport, education, employment and wider social interactions. This planning process also recognises that the challenges and opportunities to be presented by a population with growing numbers of older people demands responses from all sectors of society, including the individual, public, private, community and voluntary sectors.

The national positive ageing strategy will be a high level document outlining Ireland's vision for ageing and older people, and the national goals and objectives required to promote positive ageing. It will be an overarching, cross-departmental policy and implementation framework that will be the blueprint for age related policy and service delivery across Government in the years ahead. The strategy will set out a common framework for the development of operational plans by a number of Departments which will clearly set out their objectives relating to older people. Mechanisms designed to monitor the implementation of measures contained in operational plans will also be outlined in the strategy. The intention of the strategy is not to propose new service developments and it will not be prescriptive in relation to the specific actions that will be taken by individual Departments to promote positive ageing. Rather, it will set the strategic direction for Government policy on ageing into the future by outlining the priority areas requiring action. It will be a matter for individual Departments to identify how best they respond to the challenges posed by an ageing population.

A considerable amount of preparatory work has been completed and consultation with other Departments is ongoing. The final drafting of the strategy is proceeding within the Department of Health within the constraints of available staff and other priorities. It is the intention of the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, that a draft of the strategy will be brought to Government as soon as possible in the new year.

As Minister for Justice and Equality, I have been working with the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, in areas that have a cross-departmental impact. Contrary to the perspective painted by Deputy Dooley, the Minister of State is truly and totally committed to the completion of this strategy and is dedicated to the work she is undertaking. I have no doubt that when published, the strategy will make a difference and will have a significant impact well into the future.

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