Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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589. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the new initiatives that have been developed since March 2020 that improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities living in rural areas. [36213/24]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Government policy is to continually increase the number of people working in rural Ireland, by creating an environment that supports the growth of entrepreneurship and enterprise and increases employment opportunities.

Within the framework of the Department of Rural and Community Development’s blueprint on rural development - Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025 - my Department is committed to developing initiatives to improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities living in rural areas.

In particular, my Department has responsibility for the implementation of two sets of actions under Our Rural Future 2024 Work Programme . Firstly, it supports the Open Doors Initiative to deliver the Employers for Change programme. This programme offers supports to employers to recruit people with disabilities into employment throughout Ireland, including in rural settings.

Employers for Change has done significant work in supporting employers to recruit disabled people, through events, seminars, training, publications, and engaging with employers directly. In 2023 Employers for Change surpassed all agreed targets and continues to provide substantial support for this sector.

Secondly, my Department has committed to the publication of a new strategy to replace the National Disability Inclusion Strategy. Work is currently ongoing on the development of a new National Disability Strategy with publication expected in 2024. A public consultation process for the Strategy has concluded. The process was extensive and robust, including 34 focus groups, 18 interviews, more than 80 written submissions, 500 responses to a National Survey and 5 town hall-style events around the country, as well as online submissions.

Based on the consultation findings and ongoing engagement with disability stakeholders and across government, employment will be a key pillar of the new Strategy and will include key strategic actions aimed at enhancing employment opportunities and supports for disabled people. The development process for these actions will give due consideration to supports necessary for people with disabilities living in rural areas.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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590. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of new residential places for disabled people established in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [36214/24]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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591. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of disabled people that were living in respite care as an emergency response to their needs in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [36215/24]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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592. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of respite nights available to disabled people in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [36216/24]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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593. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of adult disability day centre places provided in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [36217/24]

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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594. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of personal assistance hours provided for disabled people in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [36218/24]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 593 and 594 together.

As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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595. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress made to implement a national training programme for clinicians working with people with autism. [36219/24]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I was pleased to launch the Autism Innovation Strategy on 26th August. This Strategy provides a strong framework for cross-government action on autism which can make real improvements in the lives of autistic people throughout the country.

A strong focus of the Strategy is improved autism training and understanding for workers across the public sector, including among healthcare workers.

Action 7 of the Strategy commits to the development and promotion of an autism training framework for professionals working with autistic people in the Health Service Executive, in Section 38 and Section 39 organisations, and in Tusla, Child and Family Agency. This effort will be led by the HSE and will be supported by my Department. This training will promote neuro-affirmative models of practice by staff in the health and social care sector.

The initial focus for this action will explore making this training mandatory for certain priority staff groups who work closely with autistic people. To ensure that the training responds appropriately to the needs and preferences of autistic people, the training will be co-designed, co-developed and co-delivered with autistic people.

The Autism Innovation Strategy is an ambitious strategy, with over 80 actions to be delivered in an 18-month period, covering areas such as health and social care, education, autism training and awareness, among others which arose in consultations. Its focus is on delivering clear and tangible improvements to the lives of autistic people and their families, laying the foundations for a more autism inclusive Ireland.

Following publication of the Strategy, my attention has now turned towards implementation. I will continue to drive progress for autistic people over this implementation period, including by improving the availability of autism training for our public sector professionals.