Monasterevin TD seeks €5.5m extra dementia help

The Alzheimer Society of Ireland (ASI) is calling on the Government to invest €5.5 million in dementia supports and services to address inequity of access across the country, and have called on Kildare South TD – and her party’s spokesperson on the elderly – Patricia Ryan to assist.

The recommendations are contained in The ASI’s Pre-Budget Submission 2025; Equal Dementia Supports, Building on Momentum in 2025 – and calls for additional State investment to address a rising demand for dementia services.

The submission asks government to build on the momentum of the past four years with an investment of €5.5m, alongside tangible policy solutions to address ongoing geographical inequity in dementia services and supports, the financial struggles of family carers, the mental health needs of people living with dementia and those who care and support them, and a sustainable dementia workforce.

The ASI’s Head of Advocacy, Research and Public Affairs, Cormac Cahill said there are 29 dementia advisers working across Ireland who are consistently in demand.

“In 2023, the service worked with 4,607 new clients, a 12 per cent increase on 2022, and already in 2024, demand for the first four months of the year for the service is already six per cent ahead of 2023,” he said.

“We appreciate the support from this government, particularly Minister Mary Butler and her continued understanding and funding of much-needed dementia services. This support has led to considerable improvement in the level of dementia supports in Ireland The ASI has highlighted the urgent need for a dementia registry to quantify the number of people diagnosed with dementia in Ireland and where they live." 

The organisation has also outlined the need for investment in dementia research leading to better outcomes for people with dementia and their families.