Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Fleming. The Deputy will be aware that discussions around the budget are a matter for the Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform. All of that will take place, including public engagement with different sectors, over the next while. However, I take the Deputy's point.

The Deputy has raised a very serious matter, which affects families all over the country. Dementia does not distinguish between borders, or geographical boundaries. I am informed that in 2011, there were 47,000 people in Ireland suffering from dementia and that by 2021, this will have increased to 68,000, which is 40% to 42% increase, which speaks for itself in terms of the challenge we face in this regard. It is important to acknowledge that Government has recognised this. The Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, and Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, and his predecessor, Deputy Reilly, have put in place a process by which the national dementia strategy has now been developed, agreed and published. The main focus of this strategy is timely access and diagnosis, support, nationally and locally, and training and support for families and health care workers. It is a priority of Government that people be able to remain in their own homes for as long as that is medically and physically possible. The HSE has introduced a whole range of initiatives to ensure that older people have timely and appropriate care and treatment at the lowest level of complexity and as close to home as possible, which is what people desire.

The HSE service plan 2015 references the intention of the HSE to progress the realignment of services to provide home care services and community care services in order to maximise the opportunity for older people to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. Currently, 10.3 million hours of home help service are provided, supporting 50,000 people. There are 13,800 people now in receipt of home care packages. This includes 600 people who are supported under the delayed discharges initiative. There are 190 people in receipt of intensive home care packages at any one time. These were introduced in the first quarter of 2014 for people who have more complex needs.

Also, a national tool for assessment of people's needs is now available. This means that instead of varying standards across the country there is now a national assessment available. In 2015, €993 million was allocated for the nursing homes support scheme, which is important for people. I take the Deputy's point but I am sure he will be aware that the national dementia strategy has been welcomed. It is a comprehensive and thorough analysis not only of the scale of the challenge in terms of, as I stated earlier, the increase to 68,000 by 2021 of the number of people here suffering from dementia but how, given our rising economy, we can deal more comprehensively with this matter in the time ahead.

The Deputy's point in regard to the budget will be taken into account.

See this speech in context