Colette Kelleher (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne. Many of my questions would be more appropriate to the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, who has departed. If the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, is not in a position to reply to them, I would be grateful to receive a reply in writing. I acknowledge that a commitment to provide for dual diagnosis was given in the Minister of State's statement, Senator Frances Black will want more specific detail on the improvements that will be made.

I am concerned about the provision made in the 2018 HSE service plan for the 55,000 people with dementia and the specific priorities and commitments given. The statement was light on detail on services for people with dementia. Does it include an expansion in the number of dementia service advisers to build a national network? The all-party Oireachtas group on dementia services, for which I am co-convener, called for an investment of €1.6 million to move from eight dementia service advisers nationally to 30 and to build on that figure year on year. When we met the Minister last week, he said he would get back to us, but I have still not heard from him. I would like to know where we stand. I am also seeking an update on the call for €6 million ring-fenced dementia-specific home care funding. There was mention of home care but not dementia-specific home care. The all-party group also asked for money to be set aside for assistive technology innovations, the continuation of the general practitioner prepared project as well as €1 million support for people with Down's syndrome and dementia. People in that group get early onset dementia and they are not really catered for either in the disability or older people's sectors. I would be grateful for some specifics and if the Minister of State cannot give them to me now I appeal to her to write to me.

Will the Minister outline proposals for the extension of home care? I heard this morning that €37 million is being allocated for older people. The allocation is not all going to home care. One of the officials at the Joint Committee on Health said two thirds of the allocation would be for home care. I am seeking a transparent figure on the budget for home care for 2018 versus what it was for 2017.

I also heard this morning at the Joint Committee on Health that it will take two to three years to roll out home care under the statutory scheme and regulation. That is too long for the people who are waiting for home care. There are 195,000 carers waiting and the wait is simply too long. I call for a greater sense of urgency.

Will the Minister for Health outline progress in his Department on adult safeguarding? Since the Adult Safeguarding Bill passed Committee Stage considerable development work has been undertaken, including two hearings at the health committee, new research from the Institute of Public Administration published in October and newly-commissioned research currently under way at UCD. Will the Minister for Health give an update and note my readiness to work with his officials on this important aspect of public policy? I have written and offered. I am doing a good deal of work on this, but I cannot simply talk to myself.

What provision is the Minister for Health making to tackle the waiting lists in the Central Mental Hospital? The Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, was here to hear me speak on the matter last year. Some progress is being made but the lists are still among the highest in the country. I know the doctors there are looking for €2.7 million to maintain progress for running costs. I want to know the position with regard to that figure.