Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 May 2023
727. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the progression and the timeline for the establishment of a commission on care for older people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23137/23]
View answer729. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the establishment of a commissioner for ageing and older people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23141/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 727 and 729 together.
The Government is committed to ensuring that older persons can continue to live independently in their homes and communities for as long as possible as well as to supporting healthy, active, and autonomous ageing.
Acknowledging the disproportionately negative impact of the pandemic on older persons, the Programme for Government: Our Shared Future (2020) commits to the establishment of a commission on care that will ‘assess how we care for older people and examine alternatives to meet the diverse needs of our older citizens’, learning the lessons from COVID 19.
In 2022 preliminary desk research was undertaken within the Department of Health in preparation for the establishment of the commission on care. In 2023 the scoping and planning for the commission on care (inclusive of timelines) is being further advanced as a priority.
