Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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154. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the urgent steps being taken to improve disability services in south Tipperary; the number of vacancies within CDNT teams 4 and 5; the numbers of children waiting for occupational therapy, speech therapy and psychology services within these CDNT teams; whether those waiting for services can access services privately with reimbursement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7077/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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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.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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155. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason the process to award emergency funding to organisations in Donegal through the children’s disability grant fund, announced in November 2023, with the successful applicants announced in June 2024, has taken so long; if funds have not been awarded, when it will be awarded to all successful applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7874/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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In October 2023, the HSE launched an open call for applications for the Children’s Disability Service Grant Fund. The Children’s Disability Service Grant Fund is an initiative detailed under action 2.7 of the Roadmap for Service Improvement 2023-2026, Disability Services for Children and Young People.

Due to the sheer volume of applications and the additional administrative work involved in co-ordinating and collating the proposals, the HSE had to revise the anticipated time-frame for the multi- criteria assessment process in relation to the applications received for consideration.

Following the evaluation process, the HSE confirmed that projects with a total cost of circa €8m met the criteria under the Children’s Disability Services Grant Fund, with a number of the larger projects to be funded over a three-year cycle.

Applicants that were not shortlisted to receive funding were informed by the HSE that their application was not successful on this occasion.

I understand the HSE had intended to fund the initiative from expected once off savings in relation to children’s services which however did not materialise. I am engaging with the Department to look at the options available to resolve the funding issues, following which it is expected that the HSE will engage with successful applicants again to outline the process of engagement around the drawdown of funding to be allocated and the financial and governance requirements in relation to the delivery of projects.

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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156. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to address the chronic under-funding of a centre (details supplied) which has seen its service users rise from 80 in 2018 to 492 in 2024, but its funding has not increased at all in this same period. [5760/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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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.