Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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In furtherance of the commitment in the Programme for Government, on 3 October 2023 the Government approved the proposal, which the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, and I brought forward, for the establishment of an independent Commission on Care for Older People. €1.243 million was allocated in Budget 2024 to support the Commission’s work.

On 14 December 2023 the Minister for Health and I announced the appointment of Professor Alan Barrett (Chief Executive Officer, Economic and Social Research Institute) as the Chairman of the Commission. On 29 February 2024 we announced the appointment of the other members of the Commission, all of whom are also independent experts.

The Commission will examine the provision of health and social care services and supports for older people and make recommendations to the Government for their strategic development. Subsequently a Cross-Departmental Group will be established under the auspices of the Commission to consider whether the supports for positive ageing across the life course are fit-for-purpose and to develop a costed implementation plan for options to optimise these supports. Accordingly, it is envisaged that consideration of matters such as whether there is a need to establish a commissioner for ageing and older people, and the fiscal viability of this, will fall within the Commission’s remit.