Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Callely, who has responsibility for older people, for attending the House. I also compliment him on his excellent work since becoming a Minister of State in this Government, following on the fine work of his predecessor, Dr. Tom Moffat, who was an excellent Minister of State. He and I worked together when I was chairman of the Western Health Board between June 2001 and June 2002.

The Adjournment matter I raise relates to the development of a much needed, dedicated dementia and Alzheimer's disease unit at the Sacred Heart Hospital in Roscommon. This hospital can accommodate approximately 200 long-stay patients and currently accommodates 180 patients. I visited the hospital last Friday and saw a number of people suffering from dementia and from Alzheimer's disease.Speaking to hospital staff, I felt there was a need for a dedicated unit for those sufferers, perhaps also allowing long-stay care for them. The staff were working under extreme difficulties, because the number of people suffering from these diseases is in effect a new phenomenon in Ireland.

While I was chairman of the Western Health Board, and a member of that board, we were involved in a major refurbishment in the Sacred Heart hospital of St. Michael's ward, at a cost of €500,000. This has helped the hospital's work tremendously. The health board, with the aid of finance from the Department of Health and Children, has also carried out other refurbishment and improvements in the hospital, involving equipment, furniture and beds, and that has been very welcome. I place on record my appreciation to the director of nursing in the Sacred Heart hospital, the assistant director of nursing and all the hospital staff, who do an excellent job. We are very fortunate in having such care and attention given to our elderly in such institutions.

Currently there is concern regarding the development of a central hospital kitchen required under health and safety standards, and the Minister of State might update the House on that. As chairman of the Western Health Board I had the honour of opening a very nice day care centre, which is located at the old convent at the Sacred Heart hospital. I invite the Minister of State to Roscommon to perform the official opening of the refurbished St. Michael's ward, which was never officially opened. I would like the Minister of State to view the facilities at the hospital, after which he might be in a position to give the go-ahead for work to proceed with the 12-bed dementia unit and 24-bed long-stay Alzheimer's unit.