Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Every day in Ireland 11 people are diagnosed with dementia while 55,000 people are living with this condition in the country. I refer to St. Joseph's Shankill, which is an accredited Dementia Care Matters butterfly care home. There are 60 full-time residents living there and 120 day care places. Last week, news broke that this home care facility faces closure in the new year because of a funding crisis. A significant increase in funding from the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, has been requested as funding has not been received since 2006. As the Taoiseach will be well aware, people who have dementia also have complex needs and need complex care. Outside the gates of Leinster House I have just met people who work in this facility. I have met family members who have fathers and mothers there. They are absolutely devastated. Where are these people going to go if St. Joseph's Shankill is closed? What is the Government going to do to protect this facility?

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