Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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1012. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the improvements that are being made to disability services, including personal assistant hours and respite care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3601/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The 2020 Programme for Government (PfG) committed to the delivery of a National Disability Strategy that would advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The 2025 PfG commits to delivering and fully resourcing this Strategy which will operate as a framework for the coordination of disability policy across government, ensuring a whole-of-government approach to the advancement of the UNCRPD and collaboration on cross-cutting issues. A robust and extensive stakeholder consultation process has completed, which included:

• 34 focus groups
• 18 interviews
• More than 80 written submissions
• 484 responses to a national survey
• 5 town hall events, online and in person (in Dublin, Galway, and Cork)

Government is committed to a step-change in specialist disability services and in improving access to services. The Disability Action Plan 2024-2026, published in December 2023, sets out targets for the development of necessary capacity in specialist disability services in addition to driving reforms in how those services are planned and delivered. While the Action Plan initiates the process of addressing the capacity deficits that have been identified, considerable further work remains to be done. It is intended that the Action Plan is a living document, which may be periodically reviewed and updated in the light of progress or challenges that need to be addressed. Informed by the feedback from the Action Plan Monitoring Group, the Ministers will consider at the half-way point what further measures or changes would need to be incorporated in the Action Plan.

A total of €3.2bn. has been allocated for HSE Disability Services in Budget 2025. While this funding represents an 11.5% increase (including capital increases) compared to last year it must be acknowledged that significant challenges continue to prevail in the sector including the increased cost of service provision, pay cost pressures, recruitment and retention issues and service provider sustainability. Therefore a significant ELS allocation in Budget 2025 seeks to stabilise base funding. Funding has been provided for Children’s Services, Day Services, Residential Services, Respite, Personal Assistance and Home Support hours and other supports to assist people to continue living independently in their own home. In addition, the capital allocation for Disability services will increase by €4m (from €23m in 2024 to €27m in 2025) supporting infrastructure development across respite, day services, children’s services and de-congregation. The specific quantities of service to be provided through this additional allocation is set out in more detail in the HSE’s National Service Plan.

With regards to Personal Assistance services, the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026 commits to 800,000 additional hours of Personal Assistance, with the delivery of 95,000 additional hours in 2025. A policy review of Personal Assistance services in light of the UNCRPD is already underway, with a working group involving key stakeholders and disabled people's organisations, to develop formal policy and service description, develop eligibility and prioritisation criteria, and consider the best form of governance and regulation.

The HSE is committed to making better use of existing respite and alternative respite provision through increasing occupancy. This includes in-home respite support hours, home sharing short breaks and group-based targeted services such as summer camps and evening sessions. As a vital part of the continuum of services for families, respite potentially helps prevent out-of-home full-time residential placements, preserves the family unit, and supports family stability.

My Department is aware of the importance of respite service provision for the families of both children and adults with disabilities and the impact the absence of respite service provision can have on people's lives. €13.95m additional funding has been provided to respite services in Budget 2025 to meet additional costs arising from 2024 developments and responses into 2025. The objective is to support respite provision which is meaningful and responsive to the needs of families and individuals.