Vol. 256 Wednesday, No. 5 21 February 2018 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Insert Date Here 21/02/2018A00100Business of Seanad 239 21/02/2018A00300Commencement Matters 240 21/02/2018A00400National Dementia Strategy 240 21/02/2018B00550Neuro-Rehabilitation Services Provision 243 21/02/2018C00350Apprenticeship Programmes 245 21/02/2018D00400Northern Ireland ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������247 21/02/2018G00100Order of Business 249 21/02/2018P00100Flooding: Statements ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������264 21/02/2018Y00100Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage 283 21/02/2018MM00200Versatis Medicated Plasters: Statements 312 21/02/2018SS00100Services for People with Disabilities: Motion 324 SEANAD ÉIREANN Dé Céadaoin, 21 Feabhra 2018 Wednesday, 21 February 2018 Chuaigh an Leas-Chathaoirleach i gceannas ar 1030 am Machnamh agus Paidir. Reflection and Prayer. 21/02/2018A00100Business of Seanad 21/02/2018A00200An Leas-Chathaoirleach: I have notice from Senator Colette Kelleher that, on the motion for the Commencement of the House today, she proposes to raise the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health to make a statement on the findings of a project led by the HSE and the Alzheimer Society of Ireland to map dementia-specific services across Ireland, and when these findings will be published. I have also received notice from Senator Victor Boyhan of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health to report on the closure of 12 hospital beds at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dún Laoghaire in January 2017 I have also received notice form Senator Tim Lombard of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Education and Skills to consider including the traditional trade of cooper in the list of apprenticeships in Ireland I have also received notice from Senator Robbie Gallagher of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Justice and Equality to release the Crowley report into the death of Aidan McAnespie 30 years ago, and if he will make a statement on the matter I have also received notice from Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Education and Skills to consider removing the cap on en- rolment in Educate Together schools in Trim, County Meath, New Ross, County Wexford, Tuam, County Galway, Tramore, County Waterford and Castlebar, County Mayo I have also received notice from Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Finance to consider the introduction of legislation to pro- 239 Seanad Éireann vide for a separation between the commercial and retail arms of all regulated financial in- stitutions operating in Ireland to protect retail customers against the effects of future bank failures I have also received notice from Senator Fintan Warfield of the following matter: The need the Minister for Health to address the waiting lists for hormone replacement therapy at St Colmcille’s Hospital, Loughlinstown, County Dublin I have also received notice from Senator Keith Swanick of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Education and Skills to end the restrictions on pupil intake for the 2018-19 school year in the Educate Together national school, Castlebar, County Mayo Of the matters raised by the Senators suitable for discussion, I have selected those of Sena- tors Kelleher, Boyhan, Lombard and Gallagher and they will be taken now I regret I had to rule out of order the matter submitted by Senator Swanick on the ground that it is a repeat of a matter taken on 20 February 2018 The other Senators may give notice on another day of the matters that they wish to raise 21/02/2018A00300Commencement Matters 21/02/2018A00400National Dementia Strategy 21/02/2018A00500An Leas-Chathaoirleach: The Minister of State, Deputy Daly, has stepped once more unto the breach He is very welcome to the House 21/02/2018A00600Senator Colette Kelleher: I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise this impor- tant issue and I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Daly, to the House Dementia is an issue that affects every community throughout Ireland, and an estimated 55,000 people are living with the condition, with this figure expected to more than double over the next 20 years. People with dementia need a wide range of community services that will support them from the mo- ment of diagnosis and throughout their journey. We are all aware of the significant gaps that exist in these vital services and supports Under the national dementia strategy, the HSE committed to reviewing health and personal social services for people with dementia to identify these gaps and prioritise areas for action I am aware that this mapping project was undertaken by the HSE in partnership with the Al- zheimer Society of Ireland and concluded in October 2017 That was four months ago and during those four months another 1,300 people have developed dementia, and still the findings of the HSE review have yet to be published As co-convener of the all-party Oireachtas group on dementia, along with Deputy Mary Butler, I am acutely aware of the lack of equity in the provision of dementia services In our budget 2018 proposals we advised the Government to provide funding for 30 dementia advis- ers throughout the country, increasing this funding over the following two years to reach 90 240 21 February 2018 dementia advisers, one for each primary care network Dementia advisers signpost people to services and provide much-needed support training, information and support to families and communities, and yet there are only eight of these advisers in Ireland Access is on the basis of a postcode lottery, and for people living in counties such as Mayo, Roscommon, Kildare, Wicklow, Meath and Wexford, where the demographic profile and prevalence rates for demen- tia confirm a strong dementia population, this vital support does not exist. The gap in post-diagnostic support was also highlighted recently by a former Minister for Justice, Nora Owen, on 8 February at the all-party Oireachtas group on dementia in Leinster House, and again in conversation on radio with Marian Finucane on Saturday last She told us that it took 18 months from her husband Brian’s diagnosis of dementia to a visit from the HSE occupational therapist That is a very long waiting time This is not good enough for the esti- mated 4000 people who develop dementia each year That is at least 11 people per day Those are not my estimates, rather they come from the official HSE Understand Together information campaign Other gaps that exist include the lack of intensive home care packages for the majority of people with dementia who want to remain living in their own homes as part of their communi- ties The all-party group advised that an additional €6 million should be invested in intensive home care packages for people with dementia this year, moving towards €30 million by 2021 Such funding needs be ring-fenced and there must be equality of access, with these packages being made available to people with dementia under the age of 65 We also need to address the gaps that exist in services and supports for specific groups, par- ticularly for those living with dementia and Down’s syndrome People with Down’s syndrome are at a much higher risk of developing dementia An estimated 700 people with dementia and Down’s syndrome live at home with ageing parents Professor Mary McCarron, who pre- sented to our group in June, estimated that 88% of people with Down’s syndrome will develop dementia compared with 7% of the general population We are not prepared for this challenge and must begin to establish regional centres of excellence with trained and experienced staff to complete assessments and to offer advice and support to people with Down’s syndrome living with dementia and their family members While I welcome the work being done by the HSE’s national dementia office to implement the national dementia strategy, the Government must now give a clear commitment that it will provide the resources required to plug the gaps which exist in dementia community-based services and supports Will the Minister of State ensure the findings of the HSE’s mapping project, completed four months ago in October, are published as soon as possible? Will he also set out clearly the specific actions that will be taken to address and close the gaps in each community in order people with dementia and their carers all over Ireland can have a better life? 21/02/2018B00200Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Jim Daly): I thank Senator Kelleher for raising this important matter and for giving me the opportunity to respond to the issues raised With some 55,000 people living with dementia, and 4,000 new diagnoses every year, it is important to