Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 74: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the progress to date on the implementation of a national action plan for dementia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15527/06]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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As part of budget 2006, €150 million was allocated to services for older people and palliative care. This is the largest ever increase in funding for services for older people. At the heart of this funding package is a determination to improve home and community-based supports with almost three quarters, €109 million of the 2006 full year costs, being committed to the support of care in the community. Among other things this package includes additional funding for home support packages, day and respite care and sheltered housing for older people. All the measures contained in the package are targeted at older people, including those with dementia.

Among the areas where funding has been provided are day care and respite care which are an integral part of delivering a comprehensive community service for older people. Day care and respite care offer respite for family members and-or carers and provide social stimulation in a safe environment for older people with mild forms of dementia. The provision of an additional €9 million in a full year will allow for 1,325 additional places per week in these centres together with additional programmes for specific needs such as activity therapy. It also means that many day care centres can increase the number of days per week they open.

The future direction and delivery of all aspects of our mental health services, including services for older people, were considered in the context of the work of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy, which published its report entitled A Vision for Change on 24 January 2006. The Government accepted the expert group's report as the basis for the future development of the mental health services and in 2006 made an additional €25 million available to the Health Service Executive to develop the service.

The Health Service Executive advised that following the publication in 1999 of the National Council for Ageing and Older People's report entitled Action Plan for Dementia, each of the former health boards incorporated the report's 33 recommendations in their action plans and annual service plans as part of the development of services for older people. Progress has been made in implementing the recommendations in each health service area. The Health Service Executive also advised that as the implementation of the recommendations will have varied across the former boards, it established a working group to draw together a co-ordinated approach to the implementation, which is due to report its findings in the second half of 2006.