Susan O'Keeffe (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Perry, for replacing the Minister of State, Deputy Alex White.

I thank my colleagues in the Labour Party for all of the work that has been done to table the motion today and I thank Senator Landy for seconding it. I also thank all of my colleagues in the Seanad. As a Senator has rightly expressed, it is political but not party political. The way Senators have robustly supported the motion reminds us all of its importance. It sends a clear message to those who will be charged with pulling together the important strategy. It proves that we all care about dementia and that there are many ways to form the strategy. I hope that some of what we have offered today will become part of the strategy.

I welcome Deputy Alex White's commitment to publish the mental capacity legislation during this session. I welcome his reiteration that the national dementia strategy will be delivered and implemented over the next five years. It is important to note, while we are here being positive together, that the Government is driving the strategy forward. The commitment given in the programme for Government stands as a real commitment to the people inside and outside of the chamber and also to the thousands of people who struggle with dementia and care for their loved ones. Those people want to see that resources and budgets are spent wisely and in a more targeted way in the future.

Tomorrow the Alzheimer Society will host a conference where Gráinne McGettrick will speak about transforming the lives of people with dementia. The national dementia strategy wants to transform the lives of those who have dementia and their carers. I shall remind Members of what was cited earlier. We said that: carers are crucial to the strategy and its implementation; that its approach is person-centred when providing care and services; that it is based, as far as possible, in the community; that there would be more and specified training; that standards of care are outlined in the strategy; that the budget, if it can be, is ring-fenced and targeted with a better direction of all resources; and that a clinical director in the HSE be appointed to take care of the latter.

The Minister asked me about research. One of the advantages of having a relatively homogenous population in Ireland means that an EU joint programme initiative is commencing through the Health Research Board. Ireland will participate in the research on Alzheimer's disease and the strategic research agenda is being prepared. The measure will add to the entire work. Many people work in the dementia sector and many of whom will be present at the Alzheimer Society's conference tomorrow. I commend the work done by the Alzheimer Society and the many organisations that care about dementia and for the people who care about dementia. I thank the Members for a robust and strong debate and I am glad that we have managed to reach agreement on the motion.