I wish to briefly acknowledge the passing this morning of Liz Howard, a former president of the Camogie Association. She was a formidable - and I mean formidable - and passionate Tipperary woman. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dílis.

I want to raise an issue in relation to elderly care. A man I have known all my life, who has dementia and other issues, has ended up in a midlands hospital. He has been there for months because I cannot find him a nursing home. This is going on around the country. We need a plan for people with dementia. Trust me when I say I know what I am talking about here because I deal with it every day in my own life. We need a plan. It is embarrassing. I am embarrassed that I cannot help this man. The HSE is embarrassed. It cannot find a place for him. I am talking to it daily; I will be talking to it after I leave this Chamber. We, collectively here, need to put a plan in place because people are living longer. Dementia is growing because people are living longer as well. We need a plan. This gentleman paid his taxes, worked hard and raised a fantastic family and he deserves the dignity of being placed in a proper home to live out the rest of his days. Financially, this is bad for the taxpayer. He is taking up a bed in an acute ward at €2,000 a day. Can we please look together, collectively, to build for the future the proper facilities for people like this gentleman? Can we find solutions for people who are left in this unfortunate scenario, which is totally and utterly unacceptable?

The one thing we can all hope for when we get older is that we have the supports we need and that we are treated with dignity and respect. To the Deputy's point, what this gentleman needs is to ensure he has a place outside of a hospital, in a home where he is cared for and supported. I have no doubt he is being cared for in the hospital and in the setting he is in now by the fantastic staff we have in our hospitals but I agree with the Deputy that we need to make sure we are investing more in our nursing homes that are dementia-specific and dementia-friendly. I have many of them in my own constituency and where it is specific to that particular need, it is transformative for the individuals who are there. We also need to invest further in our dementia-specific hubs and carers within our communities so that we can support people in the community.

If the Deputy wants to pass on the specific details of the gentleman, I will be happy to pass them on to the Minister and ask her to contact the Deputy directly.