Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)

The ambition of this Government is to bring about a step change in the services for people with disability in Ireland. The Minister of State with responsibility for disability and the Government are committed to the expansion and reform of disability services in order to maximise people's independence and help to support them to live their lives on the same basis as all other citizens. In addition to the open routes project already referred to, during 2024 the Department of Children, Disability and Equality supported two transport-related initiatives. First, it sanctioned a one-off funding measure of €3.6 million to be used for the upgrade and replacement of transport vehicles in day services, building on a similar approach to addressing the issue of ageing vehicles in disability residential and respite services in 2021. This funding was specifically aimed at supporting the provision of vehicles for transport to day services where other transport solutions were not available or where an ageing fleet existed. Second, there was funding through the Dormant Accounts Fund for an in-school travel training pilot in the former CHO 3 mid-west area to support young people transitioning to a HSE-funded day service to undertake travel training in their final year at school. In line with the whole-of-government approach to supporting mainstream services to better support those with disabilities, which is reflected in the national disability inclusion strategy, the Department of Transport has responsibility for the continued development of accessibility and availability of accessible public transport, and for developing proposals for better co-ordination of transport and mobility supports for people with disabilities. A transport working group was established to make progress under the relevant action of the strategy. The group's final report has been published and contains valuable proposals to inform future policy and action. It will be incumbent on all Government Departments and agencies with responsibility for transport and mobility supports to consider the proposals in the context of the next steps.