David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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322. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated WTE staffing requirements for adult multidisciplinary therapy services, by grade, in tabular form; and the cost of providing for these posts. [30714/24]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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323. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated requirement by 2032 for additional adult multidisciplinary therapy services; and the cost of providing for this. [30715/24]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 322 and 323 together.

The Disability Capacity Review estimated that multidisciplinary therapy services across all ages needed to grow by roughly two thirds over the period 2018-27, to tackle unmet need and address anticipated demographic change.

While therapists and other multidisciplinary staff working with disability service providers traditionally provided support to both children and adults, the deployment of a large number of those staff into local Children’s Disability Network Teams has reduced the availability of this resource to serve adults who attend specialist disability services.

While the main priority in the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026 will be given to early intervention through children’s services, it is recognised that progress will also need to be made toward tackling the shortfall in access to multidisciplinary supports for adults.

A mapping exercise to determine current provision of adult multidisciplinary therapy service is being progressed by the HSE. The allocation of additional resources will be considered in the context of the upcoming Estimates and budgetary process.

As this question has requested specific figures in relation to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.