Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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640. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide multi-annual funding to disability services providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60545/21]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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This Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives.

Budget 2022 provides an additional package of €115 million (including €10m one-off Covid funding) and builds on the €100m funding allocated in 2021 to enhance specialist disability services.

The Disability Capacity Review to 2032 sets out the Disability Social Care Demand and Capacity Requirements up to 2032. This review has carefully drawn on best available evidence and information to estimate the scale of current outstanding need for HSE-funded disability services, and how the scale and shape of need is likely to evolve over the years to 2032. This report identified the importance of multi-annual funding to support forward planning of the services required so they may be delivered in a timely way at the most reasonable cost.

Work is underway on preparing an Action Plan for Disability Services 2022-2025, in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government to work towards implementing the Disability Capacity Review.

However, at present, unlike the position for capital expenditure where multi annual commitments are made within the National Development Plan, the Estimates process for current expenditure currently allocates funding on an annual (single year) basis. No formal mechanism currently exists to provide current funding on a multi-annual basis to Departments, or onward to the HSE or to disability service providers.