COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF LUCAN / PALMERSTOWN / NORTH CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
MOTION NO.8
MOTION: Councillor V. Casserly
This committee calls on the manager to develop a Dementia Friendly Lucan initiative, also engaging with Aura Leisure and our age friendly officer to host dementia friendly coffee mornings in the newly opened centre supporting our community.
REPORT:
The Community Department are currently rolling out a Dementia Inclusive Community pilot which originated from a motion requesting that all council-owned buildings display the “Understand Together” sticker. Following this, the Community Department recognised that a broader, community-based approach was needed, one that would involve residents, community groups, and businesses working collaboratively with the local authority to create what a truly dementia-inclusive community might look like.
Ballyroan was selected as the pilot area for South Dublin County Council due to its well-established community facilities, including a library, community centre, church, parish centre, and a variety of local retailers, GP and pharmacy services. In April 2024, information regarding the initiative was shared locally, along with an expression of interest letter outlining SDCC’s intentions for the pilot.
A local database of contacts was established to keep participating businesses and organisations updated, and an official launch was held in Ballyroan Library on May 7th, 2024.
Following the launch, Dementia Awareness Training sessions were facilitated by the Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland and attended by community members, businesses, and supported by SDCC staff. A significant milestone in the pilot was the establishment of a Dementia Café at Ballyroan Community and Youth Centre. The café, supported by volunteers from Cheeverstown, was launched on October 8th, 2024, and continues to operate monthly, providing a safe, welcoming space for people with dementia, their families, and community members to connect. The café regularly hosts guest speakers and inclusive activities such as demonstrations and music sessions, ensuring ongoing engagement and awareness.
Participating businesses that have completed training receive an “Understand Together” blue sticker to display, signifying their support and participation in the initiative. Additional training sessions, both in-person and online, have been developed to ensure accessibility for all interested participants.
Cheeverstown has also expanded its involvement by running inclusive exercise classes in the centre and exploring further intergenerational and community-inclusive projects.
Overall, the Dementia Inclusive Community pilot has proven to be a wonderful and compassionate initiative, strengthening local connections and promoting inclusivity and awareness. Once the pilot has concluded, we hope to build on the success of the Ballyroan pilot, and roll out the initiative sequentially across the county. The community development team will be happy engage with Aura and other stakeholders in the Lucan area to investigate the feasibility of rolling out a similar initiative in the Lucan area.