Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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2. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans for introducing a right to respite for family carers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50022/25]

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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I think everyone in this House can agree that family carers right across the State do an outstanding job 24-7. I would, as I am sure the family carers would, love to hear the Minister's plans to introduce respite for those family carers.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The national carer's strategy 2012 sets out Government policy on family carers. Oversight of the strategy is led by the Department of Health, with individual Departments leading on action areas that fall within their remit. The Department of Social Protection provides payment supports to carers, while my Department supports the provision of respite services for people with disabilities and their carers.

The Government and the HSE are aware of the importance of respite service provision for the families of both children and adults with disabilities, and the vital work done by family carers, as well as the impact that caring can have on carers' physical and mental health.

The programme for Government contains a number of relevant commitments including addressing concerns in relation to financial supports for family carers and progressively increasing funding for respite services, including the home support emergency respite scheme, which is funded by the Department of Health. These commitments will be progressed over the lifetime of the Government.

Respite is part of the continuum of HSE-funded supports for people with disabilities and their families and typically consists of short breaks for service users and their carers. Respite services play a crucial role in preventing carer burnout, help to prevent out-of-home full-time residential placements, preserve the family unit and support family stability.

Currently, the demand for respite is outpacing the capacity of the system to respond. The Department is working with the HSE and service providers to increase provision, but also through the exploration of alternative forms of respite, such as home sharing and after-school respite.

Respite sessions for people with disabilities have increased progressively over the last few years. In 2025, the HSE is on course to deliver 164,059 respite nights to 7,460 people and 65,151 respite day-only sessions.

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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I appreciate the Minister's reply. As I said in my introduction, we are all aware of the great work of family carers, what they do for the State and the €20 billion they save the State every year. However, as the Minister said in her reply, they need a break, something we all can agree on. Today I attended the family carers' pre-budget presentation. One of the issues for the people they represent is that respite care is not strong enough in many places. I appreciate, as outlined in the Minister's reply, that this is also cross-departmental, but from the point of view of the Minister for children and disability, a huge cohort of family carers who are caring for those with a disability need respite care. They are caring 24-7 and are crying out for some sort of respite. The Minister and her Department need to ensure that they get the respite they fully deserve.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I recognise the extraordinary service provided by family carers and all carers. Without their diligence and the work that they do, the lives of many would be in a far worse position. I absolutely and unreservedly recognise their work. As I said, respite sessions for people with disabilities have increased significantly, with over 164,000 respite overnights and more than 65,000 respite day-only sessions, but I absolutely accept it is not enough. Respite is a key priority for the HSE and for the Government and over the course of the Government's life there has been significant investment. For example, the action plan for disability services 2024 to 2026 proposes to increase the level of disability respite provision by around a third. It proposes to do that through a mix of provision of alternative respite options.

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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One of the areas I want to concentrate on tonight is emergency care. I have come across a number of cases recently where family carers need that respite care in an emergency situation. I know that Family Carers Ireland has been providing such a service for a number of years and it tells us that that service is underfunded. I ask the Minister tonight to consider through the budget proposals, through her Department and in her cross-departmental conversations tomorrow to look at that emergency care and look at additional funding for Family Carers Ireland to ensure that when a family needs that emergency service, there is respite care available for them. It is a huge issue in this country that when their hour of need comes, there is somebody to answer that call. In fairness Family Carers Ireland has been doing that for a long time now. However, it is underfunded and needs more support. We also need that support throughout the State and not have it determined by a postcode lottery.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I join the Deputy in recognising the great work of Family Carers Ireland. Spending on respite services for people with disabilities is about €134 million annually. Since 2020 there has been a significant increase in this funding, of 58%. The Deputy is quite correct to put it in the context of the upcoming budget negotiations that we need to do more in this space also.

The HSE is about to undertake an audit of respite services across the country, which will also be very helpful and allow us to clearly identify where there is a particular dearth of service. That will be quite significant to us.

I do not underestimate the value of respite. It gives families an opportunity for a break but it is also very good for the service user as well. It is a different environment and provides other opportunities. It is very much a focus. I hope that the discussions and the negotiations we have for the budget will be able to do something positive.