Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)

I thank the Senator for raising the matter and wish her luck in her lip sync at the weekend. The contribution she made is a powerful one because it is the lived experience of many parents. In many ways, the reply I give will be inadequate to the articulation she has given because she is right. There is a group of parents who are caring for their disabled adult child, and they are now reaching a point where they cannot do it anymore. It is a huge issue and one that we encounter. I speak as somebody who is involved with what was Cope Foundation and is now called Horizon in County Cork, and who recognises the powerful words the Senator spoke this morning, because people are living it every day. It is affecting their quality of life, and they want certainty for their beloved adult child for the future when they are not here. That is not dramatic; that is a real concern of the elderly for their children, who in some cases, as the Senator said, have been cared for from the cradle to the grave. It is when the parents leave that this becomes a problem. The Senator is right. I thank her for raising this important issue.

Government is aware that there are a growing number of elderly parents who are caring for people with disabilities and a lot - not all - of those adult children will require residential care as their parents continue to age and as they will after their parents die. Furthermore, Government recognises the vital work carried out by family carers as well as the impact that caring can have on carers' physical and mental health. The Senator rightly raised that point because there is a huge concern for parents who want necessity of certainty and quality of care. Government acknowledges the importance of the voice of the person with the disability and the wishes they may have regarding their own future. It is also important to note that, currently, demand for specialist disability residential places exceeds what is currently provided.

The Department of Children, Disability and Equality is working with the HSE to address current levels of demand in line with the 2021 Disability Capacity Review to 2032, and the subsequent Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026. The disability capacity review 2021 identified a significant level of underprovision of residential care places, as the Senator outlined. The review projected a need for a minimum of around 100 new residential places every year from 2020 to 2032 arising from changes in the size and age structure of the relevant disability population.

The subsequent Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026 has committed to providing 900 residential placements for people with disabilities. The HSE, together with approximately 90 service providers, is providing 8,808 residential places to people with disabilities. In 2025, the Government has secured €3.2 billion for disability services, which includes €106.6 million in additional funding for disability residential services. This funding was provided to support in the order of 70 new residential placements. Up to August this year, 142 such places have been created. In budget 2026, a total of €3.8 billion has been allocated for specialist disability services, representing an almost 20% increase year on year. From the period 2020 to 2024, 709 new priority one residential places have been created for people with disabilities. This, with the places provided to August, brings the total number of new places to 851 since 2020. This level of provision has undoubtedly assisted those who were awaiting a residential placement, including those with disabilities who are being cared for by their ageing parents.

The Department of Children, Disability and Equality, alongside the HSE, is continuing to work to increase provision in order to assist those who are most vulnerable in our society and who urgently require services. In addition to residential services, there are other measures that are available to support people with disabilities and their families and carers. Other supports include day services, respite services, intensive support packages, home support and personal assistance. I recognise that, in some cases, they may not be available or they may not be what the people the Senator spoke about require. I recognise the burnout and the need for relief for family carers. I commit with the Department to ensuring that the provision of residential places through a multi-annual capital plan will be progressed. I look forward to working with Senator Costello and the Department to ensure we do meet the needs of elderly parents.