Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I completely agree. Real progress is being made and that is why on 14 December both the Minister, Deputy O’Gorman, and I launched the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026. It makes a commitment to 900 additional residential places and 500 as part of the decongregation programme during that time.

The local authority has a huge role to play on that. It is something we need to tease out a little further, albeit perhaps not in this forum. If you are opening a new housing estate or there is a refurbishment development taking place, there should always be a portion held for respite and residential. That is why it is so important that the families have all their loved ones on the housing waiting list. The HSE’s job should be to give the additional support required, whether independent or supported independent living.

We need local authorities, the HSE and parents to work more closely to ensure we have access to properties. There is no point putting up a 30-unit estate if we do not have the rights of persons with disabilities enshrined. I also think we will be looking at developing what we have already done with disability officers under Age Action.

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