Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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543. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on the progress made toward achieving the main aims of the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026; and to list the specific changes that have been achieved in County Galway to date. [4430/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Since its publication, the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024 - 2026 has been supported by significant investment. In 2024, €74m was provided to support service expansion and delivery of Action Plan targets. In budget 2025, funding of €39m has been provided to expand services to address unmet need. Funding has also been allocated to provide for service expansion due to demographic growth, in addition to funding provided for new developments. This funding for demographic growth will also help support Action Plan aims. The precise level of service to be provided from the 2025 allocation has been set out by the HSE in its National Service Plan for 2025.

At national level, a Monitoring Group has been set up to review progress with the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026, twice-yearly. The Minister of State for Disabilities chairs the Monitoring Group and membership includes representatives from relevant stakeholders such as Disabled Persons’ Organisations, provider umbrella bodies, and the National Disability Authority. The focus of its work is to review progress including identifying any emerging risks or difficulties, in particular those affecting major items in the Action Plan, or where delivery is well off course. Where appropriate and relevant, the Group may make recommendations on how risks or difficulties can be addressed.

The Monitoring Group met in September 2024 to review the progress of the Action Plan in the first half of 2024. A report detailing this progress was published and details can be found at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/782b1-action-plan-for-disability-services-2024-2026-publications/

The Monitoring Group will meet again in early 2025 to review progress for the first full year of the Action Plan.

The responsibility for the implementation of the service-expansion aims of the Plan lies with the Health Service Executive (HSE). With respect to service developments in the Galway region, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.