Kieran O'Donnell
Limerick City · Fine Gael · Ireland
“The triangle of supports of home care, day care and meals on wheels services — including dementia-specific supports — plays a vital role in helping older people to age well in their own communities. Meals on wheels services provide much more than nutritious meals.”
“The organisation currently operates a day care service four days per week, supporting approximately 60 registered users, and a meals on wheels service with 104 registered users. The HSE has advised that increased funding has been committed to support the organisation.”
“I join the Leas-Chathaoirleach in welcoming the Kellehers to the Seanad, which is a beautiful building in its own right. I thank Senator Kelleher for raising this important matter. He has advocated for Westgate Foundation over a sustained period of time and that has to be acknowledged. I know the work it does is close to his heart.”
“I again thank the Senator for raising Westgate Foundation in Ballincollig and the work it does on behalf of the community, particularly older people. The Senator referred to housing on-site. It is very much an integrated model. I could see how committed the staff and the board, many of them voluntary, were.”
“The Government has significantly increased investment in meals on wheels services in recent years. Funding increased from €3.5 million in 2022 to €6.25 million in 2025, with a further €2 million allocated in budget 2026 to support service expansion and maintenance.”
“The shared objective of the HSE and Westgate Foundation is to ensure high-quality day care and meals on wheels services continue to be available to older people who rely on them, particularly in the greater Ballincollig area.”
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“The shared objective of the HSE and Westgate Foundation is to ensure high-quality day care and meals on wheels services continue to be available to older people who rely on them, particularly in the greater Ballincollig area. These services make a real difference to the lives of older people, helping them remain connected, supported and independent in their communities. I welcome the continued engagement between HSE and Westgate Foundation and look forward to seeing these important services maintained and strengthened for the benefit of older people and their families in the greater Ballincollig area.”
“I again thank the Senator for raising Westgate Foundation in Ballincollig and the work it does on behalf of the community, particularly older people. The Senator referred to housing on-site. It is very much an integrated model. I could see how committed the staff and the board, many of them voluntary, were. The HSE has confirmed it continues to work closely with the Westgate Foundation regarding its operational and financial position. Meetings have taken place between the HSE and Westgate in relation to organisational and funding requirements, staffing arrangements and service delivery. Further meetings are to take place in the coming days between HSE South West and Westgate Foundation to discuss the situation.”
“I welcome the ongoing engagement between HSE South West and Westgate Foundation and I look forward to the continued provision of these valuable services for older people and their families in the greater Ballincollig area. I understand meetings will take place in the coming days between HSE South West and Westgate Foundation. It is a hugely important service that Westgate Foundation provides. I know how committed the Senator is to advocating on its behalf.”
“The organisation currently operates a day care service four days per week, supporting approximately 60 registered users, and a meals on wheels service with 104 registered users. The HSE has advised that increased funding has been committed to support the organisation. Total funding of over €520,000 was provided in 2025, while agreed funding for 2026 amounts to almost €686,000, including core section 39 funding, once-off supports, WRC funding and meals on wheels funding. In addition, Westgate Foundation received €25,000 under the community capital programme. The HSE continues to engage closely with the organisation regarding its operational and financial position, staffing arrangements and service delivery needs to older people in the area.”
“The Government has significantly increased investment in meals on wheels services in recent years. Funding increased from €3.5 million in 2022 to €6.25 million in 2025, with a further €2 million allocated in budget 2026 to support service expansion and maintenance. Nationally, almost 2.94 million meals were delivered in 2025, while funding has been allocated to deliver 3.3 million meals during 2026. To the Senator's specific point, the HSE advises that Westgate Foundation plays an important role in supporting older people in their communities through the provision of day care and meals on wheels services. From visiting with the Senator, I have seen that at first hand.”
“The triangle of supports of home care, day care and meals on wheels services — including dementia-specific supports — plays a vital role in helping older people to age well in their own communities. Meals on wheels services provide much more than nutritious meals. They are an invaluable resource in helping older people maintain their health and independence while also addressing social isolation. The services benefit not only those who receive meals, but also their families, who gain reassurance from regular contact and support for their loved ones. Day care services are similarly an essential component of social care provision. They provide opportunities for social engagement, health monitoring and community participation for older people who may otherwise be at risk of isolation and loneliness.”
“I join the Leas-Chathaoirleach in welcoming the Kellehers to the Seanad, which is a beautiful building in its own right. I thank Senator Kelleher for raising this important matter. He has advocated for Westgate Foundation over a sustained period of time and that has to be acknowledged. I know the work it does is close to his heart. I know first-hand because I visited the Westgate Foundation centre with him. I found it to be warm and engaging and it provides a great service to its community. I thank all the people involved. It is a key priority for the Government to support older people to remain living independently in their own homes and communities for as long as possible with dignity, choice and appropriate supports.”
“We want to get a further ten staff in place as quickly as possible and 17 candidates will be interviewed tomorrow and the day after for those posts.”
“I thank Deputy Maxwell. This is an important point for his constituents in Cavan-Monaghan. By way of update, 302 people were on waiting lists for home support at the end of May in Cavan-Monaghan, including 33 new applicants and 269 people already receiving support who require additional hours. Specifically on the point the Deputy raised, I met the HSE as recently as yesterday. One of the key areas I focused on was Cavan-Monaghan. The HSE gave me an assurance. The last recruitment campaign of home support workers was in April. It has interviews scheduled for tomorrow, 16 July and Friday, 17 July, of 17 candidates to replace ten whole-time equivalents. Furthermore, ten new staff commenced in January 2026. The recruitment of additional staff is under way, with ten staff already in place since January.”
“This proposed amendment seeks to change the target to commenced apartment schemes with substantial work carried out in the first two years of their permission. I am uncertain as to what the policy intention is behind the proposed amendment in this context. I thank the Senators for their proposals but I cannot accept amendments Nos. 5 and 6.”
“It is vitally important that we do all we can to support the building of developments that have already been granted planning permission. The level of daylight within individual apartments is not solely determined by dual-aspect ratios. There is a wide range of other influencing characteristics such as the orientation of the apartment, its elevation, separation distances, the size and position of windows, and internal layout. Every apartment development is required by law to comply with the requirements of the building regulations regarding matters such as ventilation and insulation. As I have already stated, the measure is targeted at apartment developments that have planning permissions but are not yet commenced or are uncommenced.”
“Furthermore, the amendment is in conflict with the intended policy intention of section 138A, which targets a significant number of apartment schemes that have received planning permission but not have not yet commenced. These measures are intended to unlock sites that have permission but are stalled. They are an activation measure. Accordingly, I cannot accept this amendment. In summary, section 138A is intended to support the viability of the development of apartments in the immediate term. It is targeted at a significant number of apartment developments that have received planning permission but have not yet commenced. The Government continues to be fully committed to ensuring that housing is delivered as quickly and effectively as possible.”
“This amendment will limit section 138A to apartment schemes that have already commenced with substantial works carried out in the first two years of that permission. Section 138A is already subject to a number of criteria including that permission was granted for the apartment schemes before the coming into operation of section 138A and that the apartment scheme has not yet commenced before the date in which the request is made. The amendment is unworkable as it directly contradicts section 138A(2)(c), which limits availability of this type of non-material alteration to apartment schemes that have not yet been commenced, excluding any works carried out to maintain, secure or protect the site.”
“Dual-aspect ratios are one of a range of factors that will determine levels of daylight available within an individual unit. Other influencing characteristics include the orientation of the apartment, its elevation, separation distances, the size and positioning of windows, and the internal layout such as the numbers of internal walls and the width and depth of rooms. It is also important to note that every apartment developed is required by law to comply with the requirements of the building regulations regarding matters such as ventilation or insulation. Accordingly, I cannot accept this amendment. Amendment No. 6 seeks to provide an additional criterion that a requested apartment alteration will be considered material alteration if substantial works have not commenced two years from the point when the permission was granted.”
“The non-material alterations to apartment schemes as set out above are already established and tend to strike a balance between ensuring that apartment developments meet the needs of society in terms of standards and quality while promoting an increased level of output overall. In duplex types or smaller apartment blocks that form part of mixed compact housing schemes, dual aspect is generally achievable. For larger apartment schemes, however, where there may be a terraced or perimeter block pattern wholly or partially fronting a street this may not be the case. I consider this provision regarding minimum dual-aspect ratios successfully strikes an appropriate balance in this context. It should be noted that the levels of daylight within the individual apartments is not solely determined by dual-aspect ratios.”
“Non-material alteration of apartment schemes set out in subsection (3) already established policy relating to the apartment mix, apartment floor areas, dual-aspect ratios, lift and stair cores, the floor to ceiling heights of ground-floor apartments, as well as consequential works including to footpaths, boundaries, gardens and balconies. Amendment No. 5 seeks to delete the provision allowing for certain non-material alterations relating to dual-aspect ratios of apartments. Viability presents an ongoing challenge to housing delivery and is particularly acute in relation to delivery of apartments.”
“I thank the Senators for their contributions. I propose to go through my detailed note because that will be helpful to everyone. Amendments Nos. 5 and 6 seek to amend section 62 of the Bill, which, in turn, proposes to insert a new section 138A into Chapter 5 of Part 4 of the 2024 Act in relation to alterations of existing uncommenced permissions for apartment schemes. Section 138A operates so that subject to the meetings specifically set out in the Bill, requests may be made to alter an existing permission of an apartment scheme. Where there that requested alteration is not material, the permission will be altered accordingly. This important provision seeks to replace section 44B of the Act of 2000 as that Act is due to repeal before the end of this year.”
“It is targeted at the significant number of apartment developments that have received planning permission but have not yet commenced. Depending on the circumstances, the option is open to the developer either to apply for new planning permission or apply to make an amendment to the existing permission. The Government continues to be fully committed to ensuring that housing is delivered as quickly and effectively as possible. It is vitally important that we do all we can to support the building of housing developments that have already been granted planning permission, given the urgent need to encourage activation of housing development as quickly as possible. I commend these sections to the House and will press that they remain part of the Bill.”
“The Bill also sets out restrictions to the measures, including, in the case of residential development in a strategic development zone, that the alterations cannot cause the number of dwellings situated in that strategic development zone to exceed the permitted number in the applicable planning scheme and that an alteration of a permission cannot result in the proposed residential development being designed to accommodate more occupants than it would be designated to accommodate were the alteration not made. That is an important point. The purpose of this measure is to help support the viability of the development of apartments in the immediate term by allowing the alteration of permissions already granted in certain circumstances.”
“The specific criteria allowing alterations to apartment schemes that are covered by this measure are already established policy. They relate to the apartment mix, apartment floor areas, dual-aspect ratios, lift or stair cores, floor-to-ceiling heights of ground-floor apartments and consequential works necessary for the purpose of the above alterations or for ensuring access to the development, including works to footpaths, boundaries, gardens and balconies.”
“The section operates such that subject to meeting the specific criteria set out in the Bill, requests may be made to a deciding authority under section 140 of the 2024 Act to make alterations to an existing permission for an apartment scheme. Under section 142 of the 2024 Act, where a requested alteration of a permission is not material, the deciding authority shall alter the permission accordingly. Section 138A will apply to the development of dwellings in apartment buildings in circumstances where permission is granted before the coming into operation of the section, where the request for an alteration made under section 140(1) of the 2024 Act is made before the expiration of two years from the coming into operation of section 138A and where the development has not yet commenced before the date on which the request is made.”
“Sections 61 and 62 are connected and will operate together. It is important that both sections stand as part of the Bill. Section 61 is a technical, clarifying amendment to the definition of "material alteration" in section 138 of the 2024 Act to add a cross-reference to a new section 138A, as inserted by section 62 of the Bill. Section 62 inserts a new section 138A in Chapter 5 of Part 4 of the 2024 Act in relation to alterations of existing permissions allowed for the purpose of alleviating the shortage of residential accommodation to enable the construction of greater numbers of dwellings in apartment schemes.”
“I think the Senator is very familiar with that and the points he has made are duly noted. I can go through what is being proposed under Part 4 of the Bill in terms of the 2024 Act and the statutory deadlines coming in for planning and An Coimisiún Pleanála. If the House would like me to do that, I will.”
“I have no doubt the Deputy has raised the matter directly with the Minister and will raise it further. His Topical issue will have drawn the attention of the Minister and no doubt will be seen by Uisce Éireann. The Deputy is representing his constituents on the ground. Furthermore, the CRU was assigned the water regulatory functions under section 27 of the Water Services Act 2013. In performing those, it has regard to a number of factors including that water services are provided by Uisce Éireann; that it operates in a commercially viable manner; that it can meet all reasonable demands for water; that it performs its functions in a manner that will enable the achievement by the State of the environmental objectives of that directive; and that it performs its functions in an open and transparent manner.”
“Where a contractor raises a concern regarding payment, Uisce Éireann will engage directly with the contractor to understand the circumstances and to address the matter in accordance with the relevant contractual arrangements. Responsibility for the payment of subcontractors rests with the principal contractor, in line with the terms and conditions of the relevant contract. Where there are delays with some payments, there can be a number of reasons for these. Where such matters arise, Uisce Éireann endeavours to resolve them as quickly as possible, once identified. As I said, Uisce Éireann is aware of isolated challenges in relation to the timeliness of purchase requisitions and purchase order receipting. These issues have been escalated and are being dealt with as a priority.”
“As I said earlier about specific points the Deputy raised, the operation of the public wastewater treatment systems, together with operational issues locally, are matters for Uisce Éireann, which has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. Contracts and payments are matters for Uisce Éireann and the Minister has no function in this area. However, he has made inquiries with Uisce Éireann on the Deputy's behalf and was informed that Uisce Éireann has contracts in place with its contractors for all works and services provided. These contracts set out the applicable payment terms and the processes to be followed.”
“The matters the Deputy raised have been brought to the Minister. He has followed up with inquiries to Uisce Éireann. I have no doubt the Deputy will elaborate on the point he raised in his supplementary contribution.”
“It should also be noted that the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities, CRU, was assigned water regulatory functions under section 27 of the Water Services Act 2013. In performing its functions under the Act, CRU has regard to the need to ensure that customers of Uisce Éireann are provided with the quality of service provided for in its code of practice, water services are provided by Uisce Éireann in an economical and efficient manner, Uisce Éireann operates in a commercially viable manner, Uisce Éireann can meet all reasonable demands for water both current and foreseeable; Uisce Éireann performs its functions in a manner that will enable the achievement by the State of the environmental objectives of the EU directive, and that Uisce Éireann performs its functions in an open and transparent manner.”
“Where a contractor raises a concern regarding payment, Uisce Éireann will engage directly with the contractor to understand the circumstances and to address the matter in accordance with the relevant contractual arrangements. Responsibility for the payment of subcontractors rests with the principal contractor in line with the terms and conditions of the relevant contract. Where there are delays with some payments, there can be a number of reasons. Where such matters arise, Uisce Éireann endeavours to resolve them as quickly as possible once identified. Uisce Éireann is aware of isolated challenges in the timeliness of purchase requisitions and purchase order receipting. These issues have been escalated and are being dealt with as a priority.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Housing.Local Government and Heritage. The operation of the public wastewater treatment systems together with operational issues locally are matters for Uisce Éireann which has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local level. Contracts and payments are matters for Uisce Éireann and I have no function. However, the Minister has made inquiries with Uisce Éireann on the Deputy’s behalf and has been informed that Uisce Éireann has contracts in place with its contractors for all works and services provided. These contracts set out the applicable payment terms and processes to be followed.”
“It is imperative that a robust up-to-date policy is provided that will take account of the evolved policy and legislative context of the technological progress of recent decades, the need for Ireland to meet its ambitious targets of 9 GW of onshore wind energy capacity and the informed decisions of stakeholders and the public. The Minister is satisfied that in the short to medium term the existing evolving planning system alongside the 2006 guidelines supported by Government policy more generally provide a sufficiently robust policy and legislative framework to facilitate the role of renewable energy development in a sustainable manner and to assist with meeting our renewable electricity requirements while balancing the perspectives of the local community and public and stakeholder engagement.”
“Progress has been made in this regard. The Department is working towards the publication of a wind energy national planning statement as a matter of priority. The programme for Government commits to prioritising publication and review of the guidelines, which will form a national planning statement. The Department is working towards meeting this commitment to finalise a national planning statement having regard to evolving policy, public consultations and technical contexts while having appropriate regard to the impact of wind energy developments.”
“Public participation is the key element of substantive decision-making processes under the Planning and Development Act 2024. It is open to members of the public to make an observation or submission on the draft development plan to the local authority. Any member of the public may make an observation or submission on a planning application, including in relation to wind energy developments. Planning authorities are statutorily obliged to consider such submissions before making a decision on the application. Further to this, the draft national planning statement on wind energy will be subject to strategic environmental assessment and a public consultation will be held as part of the process, whereby individual stakeholders, including community groups, will have an opportunity to make observations on the draft national planning statement.”
“It will address key matters, including noise, setback distance, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connection. The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, in the context of its environmental noise, climate and renewable energy policies remit, has been working to advance guidance on the noise aspect of the national planning statement, which is highly technical in nature. With regard to the impact of development on communities, the upcoming national planning statement will aim to strike an appropriate balance between addressing the concerns of local communities by ensuring there is greater and earlier community engagement by wind energy developers, while maintaining Ireland's ability to deliver on its binding climate and renewable energy obligations.”
“In light of the evolving policy and legislative framework, there is a need to ensure the national planning statement will be fit for purpose, while having appropriate regard to the impacts of wind energy development. In respect of sectoral national planning statements in particular, such as onshore wind energy development, there is also an important role for the relevant policy Department collaborating with my Department on the development of these national planning statements. In that context, my Department is working closely with the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment as the Department with responsibility for this area of Government policy in order to identify the factors relevant to the preparation of the national planning statement.”
“These national planning statements have been introduced to replace ministerial guidelines issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. All existing section 28 guidelines will, over time, be revoked and replaced with new national planning statements. Any current section 28 guidelines will, however, remain in force until revoked or replaced by a corresponding national planning statement. Subsequently, this means new guidance on wind energy development will issue as a national planning statement following review of the existing 2006 wind energy development guidelines. While this has been ongoing for some time, progress has been made towards concluding the review process.”
“I thank Deputy Conway-Walsh for raising this important issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy James Browne. As the Deputy will be aware, the programme for Government reaffirms Ireland's commitment to 80% of electricity demand being met in the near term and there are plans to move to net zero by 2050. The deployment of renewable electricity, including wind energy, is vital to Ireland meeting its ambitious domestic targets and international commitments. The commencement of Chapters 1 to 4, inclusive, of Part 3 of the Planning and Development Act 2024 provides the statutory basis for the national planning framework and regional spatial and economic strategies and introduces provisions for what are known as national planning statements.”
“The HSE will now progress to dispose of the property on the open market in line with the circulars from the Department of public expenditure and the HSE property protocol. The point the Deputy raised will be brought to the attention of the HSE and I have no doubt she will follow up directly with the HSE herself on this particular matter.”
“As I said earlier, following extensive review the property known as Weir Home on Cork Street in Dublin 8 was identified by the HSE a number of years ago as surplus to its requirements and it was decided to dispose of the property. Disposal of Weir Home is being carried out in line with the statutory obligations, including the Land Development Agency Act 2021 and the relevant circulars from the Department of public expenditure. The HSE engaged with all expressions of interest from State bodies in relation to the property. However, no other State body chose to acquire Weir Home from the HSE. While interest was expressed by one State stakeholder, as I said earlier, this transaction did not proceed.”
“The HSE continues to engage with the Department of Health, the Department of housing, the Land Development Agency, local authorities, the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and the Department of An Taoiseach in relation to its surplus assets as part of an all-of-government approach to increasing housing stock. I note the comments Deputy Cummins made earlier and I have no doubt she will develop them a bit more in her response.”
“The Department of public expenditure circulars require all State bodies to update the State Property Register with details of all properties that are surplus to their requirements and available for occupation or disposal. The HSE offered this property to all State stakeholders through the property mapping register viewer site of the Office of Public Works. The HSE engaged with all expressions of interest from State bodies in relation to the property. However, after this engagement process, no other State body chose to acquire Weir Home from the HSE. While one State stakeholder expressed interest, this transaction did not proceed. The HSE will now progress to disposal of this property on the open market in line with Department of public expenditure circulars and the HSE's property protocol.”
“A building may be vacated by one service with a view to refurbishment for an alternative use or a property may be maintained for future service expansion at a specific location for demographic or service requirements. Following extensive review, the property known as the James Weir nurses home, or Weir Home, on Cork Street in Dublin 8 was identified by the HSE a number of years ago as surplus to its requirements and it was decided to dispose of the property. The disposal of Weir Home is being carried out in line with statutory obligations, including the Land Development Agency Act 2021, Department of public expenditure Circular 11/2015, the protocols for the transfer and sharing of State property assets and Department of public expenditure Circular 17/2016 on the policy for property transactions by State bodies.”
“I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to update the House on the position of the James Weir nurses home on Cork Street in Dublin 8. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. The Health Service Executive is responsible for the management of the public healthcare property estate. The HSE has a significant property portfolio extending to circa 4,300 buildings across circa 2,300 locations throughout the country. The health estate is varied and complex and the HSE actively manages its evolving property portfolio. Decisions in respect of vacant properties are informed by HSE service management and based on an understanding of current or future healthcare service needs in the relevant area.”
“Fundamentally, the Government’s abiding objective is to ensure that people with dementia can continue living in their own homes with their families and supports. Once again, I thank Jordan, Cian and Helen for being here today. It is hugely important. There were great contributions. I look forward to our continued engagement. Collaboratively we will work to battle dementia.”
“We have a commitment in the programme for Government that by the end of the lifetime of the Government, the means test will no longer apply. We have made significant increases in the disregard for people receiving carer’s allowance. The work that carers do is incalculable. It is phenomenal work. In many cases they are working with people with dementia. My vision for dementia care is, first, that we support the fantastic day-to-day work of groups like the Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland, Western Alzheimer and community groups the length and breadth of Ireland. We will look at home support and then we need a dementia register and move towards statutory home care. I take Deputy Toole’s point about rolling out music therapy. We are doing work in that space.”
“I attended the HSE’s Dementia: Understand Together campaign launch with the GAA and the five McCague sisters, who were speaking about their father, the former president of the GAA Seán McCague. They were speaking about their late mother, who looked after their dad, and about the impact. A couple of things came across really well there, including the fact people with dementia need to be kept involved. People may say they are afraid they will interfere. You have to work around the person with dementia and what they want. They want to be involved and to go to their local GAA or community club and to have people visiting. This is all hugely important. Studies on longevity show that a key element is connection and connectivity. A lot of people mentioned carers.”
“It is not a screening test for healthy people without symptoms. This test will be available in Ireland by the end of the year and in many cases could replace lumbar puncture as a means of confirming Alzheimer’s disease pathology. That will make a big difference. Something that came from Jordan and Cian, and more particularly from Helen Jolly, Cian’s partner, was the genetic frontotemporal initiative, GENFI. We will look at that space. No one has a fountain of knowledge. If we can work with GENFI, which is based in a London university, and become part of that research, that would be great. It is all about getting synergies; it is not about operating in isolation. We owe it to people with dementia to put that place as well as the day-to-day measures, which are so important.”
“A full health technology assessment of lecanemab is being undertaken by the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics, NCPE, while a full HCA submission for donanemab is awaited from its manufacturer. Deputies will appreciate that under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for making decisions on which medicines are reimbursed from the funds available to it. The Department and Minister are not involved in this process and cannot instruct the HSE to make a positive or negative decision. Those drugs are coming on stream. In addition to these disease-modifying therapies, a blood test that was approved in May 2026 can rule both in and out Alzheimer’s disease pathology. It is intended for people who attend specialist services with symptoms such as memory problems.”
“When I sat down and spoke to Jordan, Cian and Helen, Jordan described what it was like for them when their mother was diagnosed and the impact it had on the family, with day care at home and respite. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, spoke about designated funding. Care Family Ireland is now a dedicated line of funding for respite. It is something we have to do. The area of new medicines was raised. That is hugely important. We have spoken about how, without the drugs, you can look at risk factors and reduce them but we are living in an age when drugs are coming on stream very quickly, thankfully. Two disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer's disease, lecanemab and donanemab, have received regulatory approval in Europe and their manufacturers have applied to the HSE to have them considered for public reimbursement in Ireland.”
“They do great work. This is something we want. They need replacements but there is funding for 257 additional posts. The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, ASI, does great work. We will interact with it in the normal way in the budgetary process. We will not agree on everything - as I have said many times, if we gave the ASI everything, neither of us would be doing our jobs - but it has a key role to play. I have to operate within a budgetary system and a budgetary cycle. What the ASI has done with the day centres is brilliant. Many of its advisers are in the young onset dementia space. Day care at home is coming up a lot. I want to do more in that space. It is a great service.”