Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 July 2023
752. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the number of staff currently allocated to working on Older Persons issues in his Department; the number of people working at national level in Older Person Services in the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33810/23]
View answerThe Social Care, Mental Health, Drugs Policy and Unscheduled Care Policy Division spans issues relating to older people, palliative care, dementia and carers, mental health services, people who use drugs, inclusion health and access to urgent and emergency care. The divisional remit is to develop policy and underlying legislation as required, to ensure the provision of high quality health and social care services to support and enable all service users to maximise their full potential, supporting people to live and age well in their communities through the provision of locally accessible community services aligned with Sláintecare policy.
There are 50 staff within the Division working within Older Persons Policy Development, Older Persons Strategy, Older Persons Oversight and Planning and Home Support Reform units across the grades of Clerical Officer to Principal Officer. Further details about these units are available at www.gov.ie/health.
The Deputy should also note that the work assigned to these four units is not confined to issues relating exclusively to older people and that the work of many other units within the Department address the needs of older people as part of their wider remit.
