Dan Neville (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Question 568: To ask the Minister for Health when the national positive ageing strategy will be published. [12654/12]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Programme for Government published in March 2011 has committed to completing and implementing the National Positive Ageing Strategy so that older people are recognised, supported and enabled to live independent full lives. It is not the intention that the Strategy will propose new service developments. Rather it will set the strategic direction for future policies, programmes and services for older people in Ireland.

The Strategy will set out a common framework for the development of operational plans by Government Departments. These operational plans will clearly set out each Department's objectives relating to older people. Mechanisms designed to monitor the implementation of measures contained in operational plans will also be developed in consultation with Departments.

In recognition that a wide range of policies, programmes and services impact directly on the lives of older people, development of the Strategy is being assisted by a Cross-Departmental Group (CDG), comprised of officials from 11 Government Departments, the Central Statistics Office and An Garda Síochána.

In 2009, an NGO Liaison Group comprising representatives of twelve national level non-governmental organisations working with and for older people was established under an independent Chair. The role of this Group is to facilitate the exchange of information and views between the organisations, their members and the Cross Departmental Group during the development of the National Positive Ageing Strategy. To date, this Group has met with Government officials on six occasions. In addition, given that the National Positive Ageing Strategy will have a wider focus than any previous strategy relating to older people, it was important to hear the views and opinions of older people themselves in addition to the views of representative organisations, non-governmental organisations, services providers and other interested parties.

To this end, a wide ranging public consultation process between Government and older people in Ireland was concluded in November 2010. This process comprised a public call for written submissions, of which 190 were received; a series of public regional consultation meetings, which were attended by over 1,100 older people, representative organisations and service providers; and face to face meetings between Government officials and groups representing vulnerable and marginalised older people. The report of the consultations was published on 22 November 2010, and is available on this Department's website on the following link, www.dohc.ie/issues/national_positive_ageing/.

Work on developing the Strategy is on-going and taking place within the constraints posed by the present fiscal situation. It is a priority for this Government and it is our intention to complete and publish the Strategy as soon as possible within the above constraints.