Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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This Government is committed to the expansion of specialist services for people with disabilities. The Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026, which I published on 14^th December 2023, represents a national strategy for capacity increases and service and policy reform in disability services. It was informed primarily by findings from the Disability Capacity Review, published in 2021.

The Plan was also informed by an extensive consultation process, to which nearly 800 participants, including members of disability advocacy groups, contributed. The Department engages on a continuous basis with a variety of stakeholders across a range of matters concerning disability services, including the Action Plan. Further engagements are planned to take place over the coming year.

Further, a Monitoring Group has been set up to independently review progress on the Action Plan twice-yearly. The Monitoring Group is chaired at Ministerial level and membership includes

representatives from relevant stakeholders such as Disabled Persons’ Organisations, provider

umbrella bodies, relevant Departmental and HSE officials, and the National Disability Authority.

The planned improvements in the Action Plan will require additional investment which would see current expenditure grow by 25% over 2023 funding levels over the three years of the plan. Furthermore, the planned expansion of residential services will require significant capital investment, primarily through the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in order to provide the necessary housing.

The service areas for investment for 2024 under the Action Plan have already been agreed through the budgetary process. Specifically, €74m has been allocated for new development measures which will provide greater investment across a range of disability services and contribute to the progressive realisation of the Action Plan. The measures are:

• €20.5m for circa 100 Residential placements for children and adults
• €15m for provision of further Respite services, including alternative respite
• €18.2m for new Day Services places for approximately 1,250 people
• €8.5m for developments in Children's Services, including 125 new therapy assistant positions
• €11.9m for other developments, including 80,000 extra PA hours and furtherance of Community Neurological supports.

The precise level of delivery of services for people with disabilities, based on the funding provided in the Budget, is set out in the HSE's National Service Plan for 2024.

To enable strategic planning of new current spending and achieve value for money over the full three years of the plan, it will be essential to have an indicative funding envelope, though year to year funding will fall to be decided through the Estimates process. It is intended to address the capacity deficits identified in the Capacity Review in a phased approach, meaning this Action Plan represents an implementation plan for the first phase and will be followed by a successor plan in 2027. The Action Plan is a living document and will be reviewed and updated in the light of priorities, policy considerations and the funding available under this and subsequent Budgets.