Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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330. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the progression and the timeline for the establishment of a commission on care for older people, establishment of a commissioner for ageing and older people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33290/23]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is committed to supporting healthy and positive ageing throughout the lifecourse; to meeting the challenges—and seizing the opportunities—that arise from Ireland’s ageing population; and to ensuring that the Sláintecarevision of ‘the right care, in the right place, at the right time’ is realised for all citizens as they age. Acknowledging the disproportionately negative impact of the pandemic on older persons, the Programme for Government (2020) commits to the establishment of a commission on care that will ‘assess how we care for older people and examine alternatives to meet the diverse needs of our older citizens’.

In 2022 preliminary desk research was undertaken within the Department of Health in preparation for the establishment of the commission on care. In 2023 the scoping and planning for the commission (inclusive of timelines) is being further advanced as a priority, with a view to its establishment by the year-end. While the scope of the commission on care has yet to be determined, the Government is committed to ensuring that our policy, legislation, and service provision is fit-for-purpose to meet the evolving needs of older persons in Ireland.