David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge what the Senator said and I believe all of us have experience of this. Good friends of mine are also affected and we all agree with what the Senator said. I commend him and encourage him to continue fighting. We will work with him on it. The national dementia strategy matches with much of what Sláintecare aims to deliver and has a strong emphasis on creating a whole-of-community response to dementia. Sláintecare seeks to steer the future direction of health provision and the Minister is pleased to say that the continued implementation of the national dementia strategy is included in the Sláintecare action plan for 2019. Dementia is not a simple health issue. It is also a social issue and involves everyone, from families and friends to business and the wider community. We all have a responsibility to remove the remaining stigma surrounding dementia and to create a society that embraces people with dementia. Individuals, businesses, organisations and communities have been encouraged to take steps to create welcoming and supportive communities for people with dementia and the Minister is heartened to see that more and more attention is being paid to dementia and the needs of people living with it.

The Government is providing a range of supports to promote the inclusion of people with dementia in our society. I appreciate that there are over 55,000 people in Ireland who are already living with dementia and that an average of 11 people develop dementia every day. As a result, there is a high demand for supports. The Minister of State, Deputy Daly, is committed to improving the range and quality of services available.