Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In case there is any misunderstanding, I am not criticising the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, in any respect. She delivered a Jigsaw project for Thurles that is fully operational now. We were waiting a long time for it and I am thankful. She has such an excellent record of delivery that I wanted to make the points about a dementia unit to her personally. She is developing the strategy for dementia.

The case I want to make is parochial and fairly straightforward. I have seen the facility in Bruff and it is an excellent model. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, intends to examine a range of long-term residential care models for people with dementia and I want to strongly press that we want one of those facilities for Tipperary.

Early next year the National Dementia Office will publish a model of care for dementia that outlines care pathways for people living with dementia, from identification of symptoms through assessment, diagnosis, disclosure, care planning and post-diagnostic support. Other Government Teachtaí Dála will also be pressing the Minister of State to have their county included. We have a need for it in my county. There have been ongoing discussions about long-term beds in the Dean Maxwell unit in Roscrea. I am aware there are ongoing discussions with the HSE that were initiated by the Minister of State, Deputy Butler. I hope these will bring a resolution of long-term public beds for Roscrea. While those discussions were ongoing we talked about a dementia village and, as I said, we went to see Bruff. I am asking strongly that when the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, is putting our national strategy together, she consider County Tipperary for a pilot project. Unfortunately, if there is a unit put in place it will be fully utilised.

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