Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

234. To ask the Minister for Health to provide additional funding to an organisation (details supplied) which can currently only provide 20 hours of day care at home for people with Alzheimer’s in County Roscommon, through HSE funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39298/24]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Since my appointment as Minister of State with responsibility for Mental Health and Older People in 2020, I have worked to progressively increase funding for dementia services and supports so that every person with dementia, and their families, has the support that they need to live as well and as independently as possible.

€17million has been invested in new dementia services and supports since 2021, and the Government is increasing this investment in 2025 through the provision of a further €2 million to improve access to dementia diagnosis and care. This brings the total new investment in a range of dementia services and supports since 2021 to €19 million.

€1 million in new funding will be provided for Consultant posts in Memory Assessment and Support Services, while €200,000 will be allocated for the implementation of a National Dementia Registry. €0.8m in new development funding will be provided to the Alzheimer Society of Ireland (ASI) for 2025. This includes €250,000 to increase the provision of dementia day care at home, €150,000 to provide 3 new dementia day care services (each service operating one day per week), and €400,000 to recruit 5 new dementia advisers. In addition, €0.3 million that was allocated to ASI in 2024 to commence activity clubs for people with young onset dementia has now been mainstreamed.

Dementia day care, both in the home and in day care centres, has the dual benefit of providing social stimulation for people with dementia, tailored to their needs and interests, and a break for family carers. The allocation of an additional €250,000 for dementia day care at home brings the total budget for this important initiative to €2.55 million for 2025.

The HSE will work with the Alzheimer Society of Ireland to determine where the additional funding for dementia day care at home should be prioritised, based on need.