Health Services
Dail Éireann — 2026-06-09
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Michael Murphy (FG), Tipperary South

I thank the Minister of State for her reply and acknowledge the extent to which she has been a positive force. I acknowledge the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, too, and the establishment of 25 memory clinics around the country. The central issue remains that we have no clear timeline for the restoration of service in south Tipperary. At the heart of my question lie the 450 people awaiting an initial assessment and the 168 awaiting a follow-up appointment. That waiting list will only grow as long as the clinic remains closed. As the Minister of State rightly pointed out, behind every one of those numbers is a person or a family living with uncertainty. Delayed diagnosis can mean delayed treatment, delayed supports and delayed planning for the future. I reference the national dementia model of care, which the Minister of State is familiar with, and the six-week optimal waiting list.
I appreciate the commitment that the Minister of State has given. We really need to push for a timeline for completion of the review and, more importantly, for the restoration of services in Cashel and the re-establishment of the memory clinic in south Tipperary so that we can set a clear plan to address what is a serious and growing waiting list. This is a systematic failure by the HSE. It needs to be corrected and I sincerely welcome the Minister of State's commitment tonight.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-06-09/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:05+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-09