Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Before I start, I would like to acknowledge a former Deputy and Minister, Damien English, in the Gallery, along with his guests. I hope they have a happy visit to Leinster House today. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to take this important Commencement matter. My call is for the provision of a long-term assisted care facility for young to middle-aged adults with additional living needs. I am currently working with the family of a young woman who is 38 years of age. She has lived happily at home with her mother for those 38 years but she has a lot of additional needs. She has attended the Avista daycare centre in Dooradoyle in Limerick every day for the past ten years and has many friends and associates there. However, the young woman's mother has become sick and is no longer in a position to care for her daughter. They are looking at a long-term care facility in Tipperary, and while I mean no insult to the Chair, I believe that moving her from an area she is used to, where her daycare and work is located, will be to her detriment. There are many more people in a similar position. Some are in nursing homes for older people and are often the youngest there. The fact that most of the people in nursing homes are in the older age category makes such accommodation an unsuitable solution. There should be long-term care facilities available for people who are still young but who cannot live at home anymore because there is nobody to look after them. Ideally, they would live in an assisted living environment and continue to go to their work every day.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I join Senator Byrne in acknowledging my friend and former colleague, Damien English, who was a source of great wisdom and advice to me in all my years in public life. It is lovely to see him here today with his guests.

I thank Senator Byrne for raising this important issue and affording me the opportunity to respond. We know there are many reasons people seek residential supports. For some it is by way of services to allow them to remain in their homes with family, while for others, it is a residential service. The aim has been to facilitate living and inclusion in the community. Increasing the provision of disability residential services is a key priority area for this Government and the HSE and there has been significant investment in residential services over recent years. We have seen significant increases in investment in specialist disability services, with a budget increase from €1.7 billion at the close of 2017 to in excess of €3.2 billion in 2025. Supporting residential services accounts for approximately 58% of the total specialist community-based disability services budget.

In this year's budget, €107 million was provided to residential services, €79 million of which will meet the incremental cost of 2024 new residential services and €28 million is additional funding for 2025. This funding will also support additional moves from nursing homes and decongregation to community settings. As of January 2025, approximately 90 service providers supported more than 8,600 residential places. As of mid-2024, however, there were in excess of 1,400 applications for residential services. This number does not include those who might be prioritised for decongregation, those who are under the age of 65, are in nursing homes and require a residential place, and young people with disabilities who are ageing out of Tusla and who require residential services.

All applications for residential services are managed by the HSE, taking into account the needs of the individual. However, the nature and level of demand is such that the placements delivered can tend to be in response to emergency needs and often only those with the highest priority can be placed. Over recent years, the number of residential places delivered has exceeded what was initially envisaged in the HSE national service plan. In 2024, 220 new residential places were delivered. There were 23 new places in the CHO 3 area, which covers Clare, Limerick, north Tipperary and east Limerick. While residential services can be an appropriate response to a person’s needs, it is worth pointing out that it can be more appropriate to support people to remain in their homes with their families. The specialist disability budget also supports a range of measures to this end, including home support and respite services.

Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Before I call the Senator to respond, I welcome to the Chamber the guests of former Minister of State Damien English: Mark Convery. Conor Sheridan, Adam Mulligan and Brian Mannion. They have come on a very good day. We had a debate with the Tánaiste this morning on international relations. Leaders' Questions will take place in the Dáil in a couple of minutes. It is a very interesting day to be here and I hope they enjoy it. It is great to see our former colleague.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank an tAire Stáit for his reply. I appreciate that there are possibly settings available but they are more on a regional basis. I recognise it is very difficult to accommodate everyone but the young person I referred to is used to going to her workplace every day. If a place is provided in Tipperary, that will not facilitate her daily activities. For her own mental health and everything else, it is important that she be kept in the environment she is used to. While it will not be appropriate for her to live at home anymore, there is a need to find a balance between a nursing home for older people and a care-assisted setting for younger people. I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter. Will he take it to the Minister to see whether consideration can be given to finding a smaller facility for this individual within the Limerick region?

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will, of course, take the case to the Minister. In the Senator's contribution, she highlighted the important point that a humane approach should be taken in the devising, development and implementation of services. It is so important we take account of how an individual service in a smaller community can have an impact. This is something the Senator has campaigned and worked on very passionately in her role as Senator. I will be more than happy to bring the matter to the Minister on the Senator's behalf, as I am sure she will do directly as well.

Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. When is it proposed to sit again?

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

At 2.30 p.m. next Tuesday.

Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Is that agreed? Agreed.