Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Deirdre Clune for raising this issue and giving the Minister for Health, for whom I am deputising this evening, an opportunity to outline progress to date towards developing a dementia strategy. I am aware of the Senator's personal interest in this subject.

With increases in the older population in the future, and particularly among the oldest, the prevalence of dementia will increase. Dementia is one of the major causes of disability in old age and in economic terms, the cost of dementia in Ireland is estimated to be €1.69 billion per annum. However, the economic cost is only a small part of the story. The personal cost and the medical, psychological and emotional impact is overwhelming.

The Government has given a commitment to develop a national dementia strategy by the end of this year to increase awareness of dementia, ensure early diagnosis and intervention, and develop enhanced community-based services. It is important that we are consistent in our thinking on all of the issues which affect those with dementia.

Last year, the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, launched a national carers' strategy in recognition of the invaluable role and contribution of carers in Ireland. It places carers firmly on the national agenda and sets the strategic direction for future policies, services and supports provided for carers.

The Minister for Health recently published "Healthy Ireland", the national health and well-being framework, and the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, published the National Positive Ageing Strategy on 24 April. These plans take a whole-of-Government approach to promoting health and well-being and recognise that quality of life is affected by a range of interconnected social, economic and environmental factors. The national dementia strategy will build on these initiatives and will ensure that recognition is given that for those with dementia, well-being is also affected by a range of interconnected factors that are broader than those that are only health-related.

Last year saw the launch of "Creating Excellence in Dementia Care: A Research Review for Ireland's National Dementia Strategy", which gathered the evidence to inform the development of the strategy and which made a number of recommendations about key areas which should be focused on. The Department of Health recently completed a public consultation process to ensure that everybody with an interest had an opportunity to inform the development of the strategy. The key message which emerged from the consultation was the need to place the person with dementia, irrespective of settings, at the centre of service planning and decision-making processes about all aspects of his or her live. A recurring theme throughout the submissions highlighted the need for increased awareness and enhanced training for health professionals in all settings.

The Department of Health is about to set up a working group which will include a broad range of expertise and knowledge to help develop the strategy. It is the Minister's intention to finalise the strategy by the end of this year as promised. The Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, is conscious of the constraints imposed by the budgetary situation but hopes that this strategy will be visionary and creative and lead to changes in work practices and processes and alignment of resources to deliver better results and promote quality of life and quality of care for those with dementia and for their families, their carers, and their friends and community.