David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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109. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which the additional funding of €105 million earmarked for disability services in Budget 2022 will help to provide greater independence for those in a post-school setting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50832/21]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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117. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which young persons with disabilities, in particular those with intellectual disabilities, can be further supported once they leave second-level education and start attending adult disability services with respect to transport to these services or centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50836/21]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 117 together.

Deputy Stanton has clarified with my officials that the question is in relation to transport services.

New funding is provided annually by the Department of Health to the HSE to provide appropriate services and supports to young people with disabilities who will require continuing health-funded supports on leaving school or rehabilitative training each year.

In Budget 2022, approximately €14.4m has been allocated by the Department of Health to provide day service supports to the 1,700 young people with disabilities leaving school and training programmes next year.

This dedicated annual funding stream for school leavers has been in place since 2015, however this funding does not cover transport costs and is wholly for the provision of disability services, as transport is not a core health service.

Some transport supports are provided by the HSE or funded agencies on a discretionary basis, and a variety of transport solutions are pursued in different CHO areas, including travel training, local transport, and some service providers provide transport, where capacity exists.

I also note that in general, day service users are in receipt of disability allowance and are automatically entitled to the Free Travel Pass.

There have been many improvements in access to a range of transport supports available to persons with disabilities in the State, for example the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers scheme, and CLÁR funding to voluntary organisations providing transport for people with significant mobility issues.

I was also pleased to announce this week a once off allocation of €10m to be spent by year-end covering the areas of assistive technology and transport, which will facilitate the upgrading of service provider buses. Further details will be available in the coming weeks.