Madam, - Whatever debate surrounds the visit by President Sarkozy, I wish to acknowledge his commitment to the 6.1 million Europeans living with dementia and commend his promise to prioritise the development of a European Alzheimer's plan during his EU Presidency.
Several European countries have already designated dementia a domestic health priority - France, Scotland, the UK and Norway, for example - and I hope this new EU commitment will encourage Ireland to follow suit.
Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia affect the lives of more than 100,000 people in Ireland and the numbers are increasing. The Alzheimer Society's Dementia Manifesto sets out a strategy to meet the needs of these vulnerable people and their carers. What is needed is the political will to implement it and to prioritise dementia policy, service provision and resource planning. - Yours, etc,
MAURICE O'CONNELL, Chairman, Alzheimer Europe, CEO, Alzheimer Society of Ireland, Northumberland Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.