Eileen Lynch (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach. Gabhaim buíochas léi as a bheith anseo inniu agus guím gach rath uirthi lena post nua.The area of disability is one that affects almost all families in some form or other. Therefore, it is incredibly important that we are discussing it today. I wish to speak on an issue of growing importance in the area of disability services, the role of service dogs in supporting people with disabilities across the State. Currently, three organisations in Ireland provide assistance dogs, namely, Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland and My Canine Companion. While I was familiar with My Canine Companion, it was only recently that I had the opportunity to meet with the founders, Cliona O'Rourke and Niall Ruddy. I thank the Munster Agricultural Society in Cork for that opportunity. It runs Cork Summer Show and is a household name. It introduced me to Niall and Cliona at its recent charity ball, which was in aid of My Canine Companion. It has also selected the organisation as its charity partner this year, so massive kudos is due to it for doing that.

At that event, we were addressed by two speakers, Caroline Hyde and Nicole Duggan, both of whom have children who benefited from service dogs. It was really poignant to hear of the positive change these dogs have made not only to their children with autism but to their family as a whole. My Canine Companion provides accredited service dogs to people with disabilities, predominantly autism, as well as a range of therapy dog services and autism awareness programmes. It is based in Blackpool, Cork, and provides 50% of Ireland's autism assistance dogs. This service is provided free of charge and it does not receive any Government funding. I want to be very clear on this because service dogs are not a luxury. They are assistive supports and are as essential as a mobility aid or communication device, yet we have no dedicated statutory funding scheme for them. This is potentially a failure that undermines our commitment to equality, independence and inclusion.

As a disability advocate who works closely with families, I have seen the life-changing impacts these highly trained animals can have. I have also seen the difference they can make in schools. Millstreet Community School is a school in my area of Cork North-West that has benefited greatly from having a school service dog. My Canine Companion has many school service dogs across the country. It currently has 91 active service dogs but has received 360 expressions of interest and just cannot meet that demand.

In light of this, there are many critical issues we need to address. First and foremost is the lack of funding. Service dog training and placement costs range from €15,000 to €38,000, depending on which of the three groups we are dealing with. While Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind does receive some State funding, as I have mentioned, My Canine Companion receives zero, as does Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland. They are completely self-funded through fundraising and donations. This is both unsustainable and inequitable. I appreciate that funding may not be available directly from the Minister of State's Department but, similarly to what my colleague said previously, maybe we could look at cross-departmental funding. Maybe it is something that could be funded under a CLÁR measure. These are things that should be explored.

There is a knock-on effect from the lack of funding. There are issues with limited supply and long waiting lists. Service dog providers are unable to meet the growing demand and waiting lists are often two to three years long, during which time individuals are left without the support. In 2023 - these are just figures related to My Canine Companion, never mind the other two organisations - it was able to provide 100 families with dogs but this was out of 1,750 applicants. There is a need there.

Under-recognition in policy frameworks is also a big issue in this area. Service dogs are not consistently recognised across disability policy documents and funding models, and it leaves a critical support unaccounted for. I am seeking the establishment of a dedicated service dog support fund designed to cofund the training, placement and support of accredited service dogs in partnership with not-for-profit providers. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Autism report, which was published in June 2023, noted:

the State must also invest in organisations providing autism assistance dogs, such as Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland (AADI).

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It is clear that State funding is needed to increase the capacity of organisations such as AADI to provide assistance dogs to autistic people.

We have yet to see this recommendation actioned.

We also need to look at funding research and evaluation to measure the long-term economic, social and health impacts of service dogs in disability support, particularly in reducing reliance on formal care services, improving community participation and enhancing well-being. It could also be important and valuable to launch a public awareness campaign to address barriers faced by service dog users in public spaces and workplaces and on transport, ensuring that legal protections are both known and respected. These are very practical suggestions, in line with our obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which we have ratified.

This is a blind spot we must address, and investing in service dogs is not just about compassion. It is about rights and efficiency and it is also about fairness.