Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to take this opportunity to wish all Members of the House a very happy new year.

I also hope it will be a happy new year, with good news for those who suffer with Alzheimer's disease, their carers and their family members in south Kildare. The clock is ticking for these people and the consequences of any decision regarding services could have far-reaching consequences. Currently an Alzheimer's day care centre serving people in south Kildare is located in Moore Abbey in Monasterevin. The centre is actually in the Laois constituency and my party colleague, Deputy Sean Fleming shares my concern about what is happening. I was scheduled to speak on this matter before Christmas and the matter is now even more urgent as another month has passed.

Last summer I was contacted by Ms Martina Foster whose father avails of the services of the day care centre in Moore Abbey. She and other service users had received correspondence to the effect that the unit was being relocated and that the days on which services would be provided would be reduced. Martina and her mother look after Martin's father, Peter and their lives are arranged around doing everything they can for him. Continuity of care and the maintenance of routine is of critical importance for Peter. Thanks to the lobbying efforts of Martina and other family members, we were able to extend the provision of services at Moore Abbey until April 2017. I wish to put on record my thanks to the staff at Moore Abbey in that regard.

The most pressing issue now is the location of the service from April 2017 onwards. This morning I spoke to the husband of a woman who attends Moore Abbey. He called me to express his gratitude for the fact that the service is continuing. However, he is obviously very concerned about what will happen when the location changes. He does not have any family living in Ireland and told me that the facility at Moore Abbey that his wife attends makes his life "almost bearable". They are shocking words for any person to utter about his or her loved one.

I have asked the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, about the plans for a property on Drogheda Street in Monasterevin, where the Alzheimer's day centre was initially located. The day care centre that was in that property has been moved out to Ballykelly Gaelic Football Club which is several miles outside Monasterevin. The unit on Drogheda Street is now empty and I understand that the HSE intends to refurbish the property and the refurbishment project will be going to design stage before the end of this month. This is the perfect time to include the Alzheimer's centre, currently based in Moore Abbey, in the plans for this property to give the centre a permanent home. If the centre is not included, where will the service users go? How can their families survive in the absence of an adequate service in south Kildare? Carers and family members are engaged in a constant battle to retain services. At present, they have to do without transport to and from the centre at Moore Abbey. Transport services were withdrawn in the last few months for a variety of reasons. The lack of transport is skewing the numbers presenting for the service because demand is based on having access to transport.

The carers of the people who attend the day care centre have had to contend with far too much. Their loved ones deserve this service and deserve transport to it. People who have dementia and Alzheimer's disease matter to the end of their lives. It is our duty to assist them in living until they pass away.

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I thank Deputy O'Loughlin for raising this very important issue. She is a strong advocate for people with dementia and Alzheimer's disease and our senior citizens generally.

Approximately 55,000 people in Ireland today have dementia. The number is expected to increase to more than 130,000 by 2041 as the number of older people in Ireland increases. To respond to the increased prevalence of dementia and the challenges this poses, the Government published the Irish national dementia strategy in December 2014. The strategy emphasises that with the right supports, people with dementia can continue to live well and participate in their communities for a very long time. As part of the national dementia strategy implementation programme co-funded by the HSE and Atlantic Philanthropies, dementia specific intensive home care packages are being rolled out in a number of acute hospitals and surrounding communities countrywide, and are targeted at people at risk of acute hospital admission and people who have finished the acute phase of their treatment. By the end of 2016, approximately 175 people will have received a dementia-specific intensive home care package.

Other elements of the national dementia strategy implementation programme include an information and awareness campaign, Understand Together, which was launched on Monday 24 October, and a programme to upskill GPs and primary care teams in dementia diagnosis and management, which is being led by the PREPARED team based in UCC. Social care services, including home care, day care and respite care, are an important component of enabling people with dementia to remain living at home and participating in their homes and communities. They also provide valuable supports to carers.

With regard to the specific issue of the Alzheimer’s disease day care unit in south Kildare, the Alzheimer Society of Ireland receives funding on an annual basis from the HSE to provide services and supports in the Kildare area to people with dementia, their families and carers. These services are in addition to supports provided directly by the HSE. The Alzheimer Society of Ireland operates a day care service three days each week from Moore Abbey in Monasterevin and a home care service which assists families to care for people with dementia in their homes. The HSE has undertaken an extensive review of the day care service provided in Monasterevin to analyse uptake of the service provided, the cost of providing that service and the facilities that are available to the society. The review has identified that attendances at the day care centre reach only 50% of capacity on some days of the week. The HSE recently met the Alzheimer Society of Ireland to consider the results of the review. Following on from these discussions it has been agreed to continue the service on a three day a week basis in Monasterevin and to promote the service locally to see if other clients can be encouraged to attend, thereby increasing attendance rates and the viability of the service. The HSE and the Alzheimer Society of Ireland have agreed to monitor attendances over the next four months while also seeking a new location for the service from April 2017, when the Moore Abbey premises will no longer be available.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I am not very happy with the response. I already addressed the issue of why there is not 100% take-up of the places, which is because of the transport issues. I wish to point out a daily payment is made by users of the facility. It is not that I want to bring money or commerce into the scenario. I attended the opening of the service more than a year ago and the joy of the users and family members was very evident. I pay tribute to the excellent staff.

Only a few short months ago, less than a year since the facility was opened, I found families there in the midst of huge distress because the location of the unit is totally uncertain after April. There is no mention in the response whatsoever of the unit in Drogheda Street, which will be refurbished. It makes complete sense to have it there. I ask the Minister of State to ask his colleague about this, and impress on him the importance of relocating the unit back to Drogheda Street.

I know I do not have to tell the Minister of State, but I want to re-emphasise the fact these illnesses have a very far-reaching effect on more than just the sufferer. These diseases are absolutely relentless. They may be gradual but they are absolutely relentless. The families of the patients and the carers have their lives changed beyond all recognition. The victims of this silent disease are on many occasions unable to make their voices heard. Often their carers and families are far too busy caring to be able to take up the issue and to lobby and start a campaign to make their lives a little more bearable.

As I stated, Martina Foster was the first person to contact me. Since she did, the number of people who have contacted me who are outraged at the reduction in services has been constant. Families of the individuals are contacting me looking for support and asking to plead their case. On their behalf I plead with the Minister of State and the Government to assist the Alzheimer Society of Ireland to locate a suitable premises. As I stated, the unit in Drogheda Street in Monasterevin is absolutely the place to be. This is an essential service and it is imperative we are able to ascertain this is the place to have a service beyond April 2017.

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I thank Deputy O'Loughlin for raising the issues. I meant to state earlier the Minister, Deputy Simon Harris, sends his apologies, He is out of the country at a very important conference. I take the Deputy's point on the money issue. When we look at the details, the Alzheimer Society of Ireland receives funding from the HSE of €212,347 per annum to provide services in the Kildare area to people with dementia. These services must be expanded and developed and it is being worked on. The society also provides additional supports to the supports provided by the HSE.

Historically, the day service was provided from the old GP surgery in Drogheda Street, Monasterevin for the Kildare area as this was the only accommodation available. The service was provided three days per week, but the building was inadequate and did not provide a safe environment. Due to the building being unsafe the HSE had to restrict access to the building for the safety of staff and clients. At that time, as the Deputy mentioned, services moved to the GAA club outside Monasterevin, but this site was not suitable for a number of reasons, as many would expect.

I take the Deputy's point on transport and the reduction of 50%. Attendances at the day centre on average were 50% of capacity on Sundays, but the Deputy made the point this is due to weakness in the transport system. I notice that in the recent update from the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, five to eight clients attend the service on Fridays and there is been no increase on Thursdays. The HSE and the Alzheimer Society of Ireland have agreed to monitor attendance over the next four months while also seeking new premises for the service from April 2017. Of course, I will bring back to the Minister, Deputy Harris, the issues raised by the Deputy and push them further.