Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North-West, Fianna Fail)
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10. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans for community neurorehabilitation teams for children with neurological conditions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50196/25]

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Anois, tógfaimid Ceist Uimh. 10 in ainm an Teachta McAuliffe ach tá an Teachta Daly ag glacadh leis ar a shon.

Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to draw the Minister's attention to the lack of a policy framework and service infrastructure for rehabilitation supports for children with a neurological condition. She will be aware that the national neurorehabilitation strategy only applies to people over 18 years of age and there is no equivalent of community neurorehabilitation teams for children. That means there is extremely limited access to therapeutic supports.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for his question. The Government and I recognise the need for all children to receive the right services at the right time. We are committed to improving services for all children with disabilities. We have and will continue to do so. As the Deputy will know, there are currently 93 CDNTs across the country and these teams provide services and supports for children from birth to 18 years of age. Children with neurological conditions receive supports through these teams as well as through other community services. Almost 45,000 children and their families are being supported by children’s disability network teams and in respect of the number of children waiting to access the CDNTs, it has been decreasing by 15% in the first half of this year. HSE data from April 2025 shows there has been a nationwide increase of 26% in CDNT staffing levels since October 2023. Most significantly, the CDNT national vacancy rate has reduced from 29% in 2023 to 18% this year, a reduction of 11 percentage points, and we will continue to improve that.

The model of service for all CDNTs is family-centred and based on the needs of the child. It is centred on the objectives of empowering and supporting parents and others who are with the child on a daily basis to facilitate the child’s developmental needs. The programme for Government includes a commitment to advancing neurorehabilitation services nationally, including the completion of the national roll-out of HSE community neurorehabilitation teams. To date, the Government has provided funding for community neurorehabilitation teams in four regional health areas around HSE Galway, Roscommon and Mayo; HSE south west; HSE Dublin, South and Wicklow; HSE Dublin south west, south city and west; and Kildare west Wicklow. The Deputy's issue was in relation to children in particular and we will be increasing focus on children’s neurorehabilitation going forward. The HSE is progressing plans to examine the demand for paediatric neurorehabilitation services for children in Ireland. I will come back in afterwards.

Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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As the Minister of State will know, in Ireland, 450 children suffer a moderate or traumatic brain injury each year yet the CNDTs do not have the capacity to provide neurorehabilitation. Moreover, the children's disability network teams cannot cater for children with complex neurological disability in areas such as spasticity management, orthotics, gait analysis, feeding issues, assistive technology, seating, neurorehabilitation vision and hearing assessment. The national model of care for pediatric healthcare recommends the development of neurorehabilitation services in the community for children with neurological conditions. Will the Minister of State provide an update on that?

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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As I was saying, we will be increasing our focus on children's neurorehabilitation. The HSE is progressing plans to examine the demand for those rehabilitation services for children in Ireland with acquired disability and to examine the current capacity rehabilitation services, as well as designing a service delivery model for children with acquired disability in line with national strategies for children with disabilities. Consideration of the children’s disability services and the funding requirements for budget 2026 is ongoing. The Department has been actively engaging with the Department of public expenditure and reform and digitalisation and with the HSE throughout this process. As the budget has not yet been announced, confirmation regarding funding in specific regions cannot yet be provided. Following confirmation of 2026 funding, the HSE will publish its 2026 national service plan, which will set out the expected activity for 2026.

Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the announcement of additional services in the community. We need to point out that there are gaps in the current system. Children are discharged from pediatric, neurology and neurodisability services in hospital at 16 years of age. Adult disability services, including day services, accept clients from 18 years and over and therefore there is a gap there. There is also a clear lack of care co-ordination for children with acquired neurological conditions. There is a critical need for case management and key worker support for children with complex neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions. It is like everything in the community. We need more co-ordination and deeper capacity and we need services for children who have acquired brain injury most especially.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for his contribution. It is important. He is correct that we should address those gaps. As I travelled the country I have met those who look after people who acquire a brain injury - mostly adults - but issues around that gap between the ages of 16 to 18 are issues that have been raised with me. I appreciate the Deputy raising the issue here and it is something we will have to look at to make sure we are rolling out these hubs as is happening for adults across the country but also looking at gaps in the service.