Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)

The data the Senator wants to see flow from the audit is something we can alert the HSE on. There has been steady growth in respite since 2022 with 2024 seeing a significant increase in activity with nearly 10,000 additional overnight sessions and 20,000 day sessions delivered. This coincides with an increase in funding year-on-year. Great work is being done to identify the best use of our resources in the area of respite. New respite services are being commenced. Existing services are being expanded and gaps in provision are being identified. Respite can be delivered in so many different places and ways and what works best will differ from person to person and family to family, which I know the Senator will appreciate. We continue to increase the funding and prioritise respite service provision. That will increase comparatively. Expanded and additional respite supports are critically important to many individuals and families across the country. The importance of this service to the service users and those who support them cannot be overstated. As I stated, respite plays a key role in supporting people to stay in their own homes with their own families for longer. In the first three months of this year alone 6,600 people accessed some kind of respite service, a number higher than that of 2024 entirely. It is important to keep in mind this momentum. The HSE and the Department are working tirelessly to achieve that.