John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this topic, albeit for a few minutes. The increased prevalence of dementia and particularly Alzheimer's disease means that as a society we must increase our knowledge and ability to deal with these conditions. Unfortunately, my father-in-law suffers from dementia and I am very aware of the demands on families and the people affected on a daily basis trying to deal with this very debilitating illness. On the other side, it should not mean a person cannot have a quality of life. It is our responsibility as a society to try to come up with the right care packages and supports to allow families dealing with family members suffering from dementia and particularly Alzheimer's disease to have a decent quality of life.

My father-in-law at the onset of his condition was put on a clinical trial. The drug used is nifedipine, which was previously used to treat blood pressure problems. The positive impact of that drug was significant and I hope it will be something seen as a breakthrough treatment for Alzheimer's disease. We may never find a cure but there is a possibility that we will find something that will slow the progression of the disease. Certainly in the case of my father-in-law, he has had a significant improvement in his quality of life because he has been on this drug for the past three or four years. I look forward to advances in that area.

I commend my colleagues, Deputies Mary Butler and James Browne, on bringing forward this topic. I look forward to us as a society learning more and dealing better with what is a debilitating disease. Ultimately, it is our responsibility to ensure a quality of life for those who are affected.

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