I was contacted recently by a person I have known for a long time but had not spoken to in some time. She was telling me how her husband has been diagnosed with dementia. It is progressing quite rapidly to the stage where she has realised she needs additional help to care for him. In the midst of this, her GP advised her to apply for the long-term illness card, which she did. However, she was refused because dementia is not included on the long-term illness scheme. It really should be. It is a life-long lasting condition, there is not cure and it is progressive. It can develop a quite an early age. People can develop early onset dementia even in their 50s.

We should contact the Minister and ask for this to be looked at. I do not think the list or scheme has been updated in some time and maybe it should be. While looking at this issue I came across something that says that in some circumstances, a person diagnosed with dementia may qualify for the long-term illness scheme. I cannot understand why it applies in some instances. It is either on the scheme or is not; we must not pick and choose between people. It should be clear-cut that it is included in the scheme so people can apply for it with the diagnosis and are given it.

I ask that we have a discussion on this and health in general in this Chamber, because we have not had one in a while. There is the issue of the long-term illness card, the issue Senator Collins raised around the ambulance service and other issues I raised around acute healthcare. There is a long list of issues on health we should debate.