About

About Roscommon Dementia Alliance

Roscommon Dementia Alliance was established in May 2017 when a group of community and voluntary organisations and community activists came together to address a growing need within the County.

The group began initially with information sessions, presentations, training and seminars and has since progressed to hosting national conferences and monthly dementia cafes.  

Roscommon Dementia Alliance operates from the core community development principles of participation, social inclusion, social justice, empowerment and collective action. 

Man in workshop smiling Roscommon Dementia Alliance

Representative Groups

Alzheimer Society of Ireland
brothers of charity logo

Roscommon Dementia Alliance has representation from Community Activists and the following groups:

  • Corlann (formely Brothers of Charity Services Ireland- West Region)
  • Mo Chairde
  • Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland
  • Roscommon Older People’s Network
  • South Connacht Citizens Information Service
  • Roscommon LEADER Partnership
  • Boyle Family Resource Centre

Our Objectives

  • To work collaboratively with all key agencies to establish and maintain a Dementia Cafe in the County
  • To deliver presentations on Civic and Social Rights and Entitlements annually
  • To make Roscommon more inclusive through heightening awareness of dementia in local communities in Roscommon through the hosting of events focused on awareness raising 
  • To identify Social Policy Issues impacting on the lives of people living with dementia, their families and carer
2 women drinking tea and chatting

Our Mission Statement

2 men in a farm field laughing

To improve the quality of life and affect change in policy for people living with Dementia, their families and carers by enabling their active participation in society through the provision of support, information and education in an inclusive community environment.

Website Funding

This website has been funded and supported by the following community and voluntary organisations:

South Connacht Citizens Information Service

Citizens Information Services (CISs) provides a face-to-face service to the public. Your local CIS are supported and funded by the Citizens Information Board. Through trained staff, the Citizens Information Services provide free, impartial and confidential information, advice and advocacy services to the public. Each Citizens Information Service covers a geographical area within their region. The regionalised CIS companies (8 in total) cover the following areas: North Dublin, Dublin South, North Connacht & Ulster, North Leinster, North Munster, South Connacht, South Leinster and South Munster facilitating both rural and urban areas, delivering a service through a network of Citizen Information Centres (CICs).

South Connacht CIS covers Counties Roscommon, Mayo and Galway and you can contact your local centre by phone or email for information and advice. A limited number of face-to-face appointments are available in centres where COVID-19 safety requirements can be met. These appointments are arranged after a phone or email consultation and are based on client need. 

Roscommon Older People’s Network

The Programme for Government commits to the establishment of Older People’s Councils/ Networks, by local authorities.  As part of the Age Friendly Cities and Counties Programme, such networks help in supporting the voice of the local older person to be heard and for that voice to influence and inform.  Roscommon Older People’s Network (ROPN) is a representative group of older people.  The group identifies priority areas of need, raises issues of importance and informs and influences the decision making process of the county age friendly initiative. We also provide a service user’s perspective in monitoring the implementation of the age friendly strategies, the plan being to make the county a wonderful place in which to grow old. 

Work on the production of an Age Friendly Strategy began in 2011 shortly after the setting up of the Roscommon Older People’s Network. The strategy was launched in collaboration with Roscommon County Council and Roscommon LEADER Partnership, together with many others, in December 2015.  ROPN seeks to raise local concerns and issues of importance for older people in the county. We can achieve this by advocating for change together with organising training and combating ageism through awareness campaigns. 

Our general aims therefore are to facilitate an improved lifestyle for older people in the county; ensure their needs are considered in the development of policies that will affect them; combat ageism through awareness campaigns and encouraging media to give age a balanced image in society; encourage intergenerational solidarity; facilitate individuals and groups to share knowledge and experience in order to improve quality of life for older people.

Close ties already exist with, among others:

  • Roscommon County Council
  • Roscommon Leader Partnership
  • South Connaught Citizens Information Service 
  • Age Friendly Ireland
  • Active Age
  • U3A- University of the Third Age
  • An Garda Síochána
  • GRETB
  • HSE West
  • Dept of Social Protection
  • Roscommon Sports Partnership
  • Brothers of Charity
  • Roscommon Mens Groups
  • Pieta House Roscommon

Roscommon LEADER Partnership

Roscommon LEADER Partnership is an organisation that brings together key development projects including rural enterprise, development and social inclusion that work for the betterment of the people of Co. Roscommon.


Roscommon LEADER Partnership currently delivers the Rural Development Programme (LEADER) and the Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme (SICAP).  Other initiatives, funded by various Government Departments and Agencies/Bodies in Ireland and EU are also delivered by the company, including the Rural Social Scheme, TÚS, and the Traveller Health Programme.  Roscommon LEADER Partnership has a very broad remit, having a role in such diverse subjects as tourism, enterprise, environment, recreation, social inclusion and assistance to the unemployed amongst others.  More information on the work of Roscommon LEADER Partnership can be found at www. http://www.rosleaderpartnership.ie/ 

SICAP – Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme

Roscommon LEADER Partnership delivers SICAP on behalf of Roscommon LCDC.  The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme provides funding to tackle poverty and social exclusion through local engagement and partnerships between disadvantaged individuals, community organisations and public sector agencies.


SICAP addresses high and persistent levels of deprivation through targeted and innovative, locally-led approaches. 
The Programme has Two Goals:
1. To support communities and target groups to engage with relevant stakeholders in identifying and addressing social exclusion and equality issues, developing the capacity of Local Community Groups, and creating more sustainable communities.
2. To support disadvantaged individuals to improve the quality of their lives through the provision of lifelong learning and labour market supports.