Written answer
Departmental Funding
The Minister cited €2.27 million additional dementia funding in 2026 and said the Cork facility proposal would be considered during the 2027 estimates process.
4020. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health if she plans to provide additional funding for a facility (details supplied) to address the increasing demand in Cork. [58577/26]
Comment on this
The Department of Health and the HSE work in partnership with The Alzheimer Society of Ireland (ASI) on an ongoing basis to strengthen the delivery of high-quality community-based supports for people living with dementia and their families.
In Budget 2026, an additional €2.27 million in funding was allocated for dementia, bringing the total new investment in dementia to €21.27 million since 2021. The 2026 funding included €700,000 for the ASI for additional dementia advisers, day care services and day care at home. It also included €270,000 to fully fund the National Dementia Registry, €300,000 to improve access to diagnostic scans, and approximately €1 million to address the full year cost of 6 consultant posts for Memory Assessment and Support Services.
I am fully committed to implementing the Programme for Government commitments on dementia, one of which is the opening of new dementia day care services. The ASI’s pre-budget submission, which includes dementia day care, will be considered as part of the wider budgetary and policy context of the 2027 estimates process.