Urgent action demanded for Offaly’s 50-strong Parkinson’s support group

Urgent additional resources for people living with Parkinson’s Disease in Offaly and the midlands hs been demanded by Independent TD for Offaly Carol Nolan following a recent meeting with individual members of the Offaly Branch of Parkinson’s Ireland and a response on the issues following parliamentary questions to the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and the HSE.

Deputy Nolan said members of the Offaly Parkinson’s support group described to her the daily reality faced by patients and families in the region. The group, which meets once a month for mutual support, now has nearly 50 local members living with Parkinson’s, a number that surprised even long-term members.

The HSE’s reply to Deputy Nolan confirms that approximately 18,000 people across Ireland are living with Parkinson’s Disease, with around 1,800 diagnosed with Early Onset Parkinson’s.

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The letter acknowledges that Parkinson’s care is “under-resourced”, with a particular shortage of specialised nursing; a gap that evidence shows can reduce hospital admissions and significantly improve quality of life.

While the HSE informed Deputy Nolan that funding was allocated in 2025 for 7 additional whole-time-equivalent Parkinson’s specialist nurses nationally “to begin to address these gaps”, and that a working group has been established to develop an updated care pathway, Deputy Nolan says this is not nearly enough to meet demand:

“Parkinson’s is the fastest-growing neurological condition in Ireland, yet here in the Offaly and midlands we still have no dedicated neurologist and no specialist Parkinson’s nurse. That is clearly unacceptable,” said Deputy Nolan.

“The HSE’s own figures reveal the huge scale of the problem, yet its response is only a first step. While the funding for seven extra nurses nationally is welcome, there is absolutely no clarity on when if ever they will deliver the dedicated local support that Offaly and the wider midlands region so desperately needs.”

“I will certainly raise the issue again in the Dáil and I will continue working directly with the Offaly Parkinson’s group and Parkinson’s Ireland to ensure greater awareness and practical supports are introduced,” concluded Deputy Nolan.

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