Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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636. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she is aware that people with disabilities using day services in CHO1 are subject to a €4 daily transport charge; if those using day services in other CHOs across the country are subject to such charge; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15109/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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While HSE Day Services funding does not extend to transport, some transport supports are provided by the HSE or funded agencies on a discretionary basis where resources permit, and a variety of transport solutions are pursued in different CHO areas. These include travel training to enable public transport to be used, where appropriate, local transport such as Local Link, private bus transport and taxis, and some service providers provide transport where capacity exists. In general, day service users are in receipt of disability allowance and are automatically entitled to the Free Travel Pass.

My Officials are engaging at a senior level with colleagues across government to map out next steps towards the development of the next National Disability Strategy. This Strategy will provide an ambitious framework for disability policy across the next five years, including in relation to transport and mobility for disabled people. The new Strategy will build on work done under Action 104 of the previous National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS). Under Action 104, a Transport Working Group was established in 2020 to formulate proposals on how transport supports could be better coordinated across the state. The Final Report of the Group was published and is available on my Department’s website.

The Department of the Taoiseach has convened a Senior Officials Group to discuss how the proposals of the NDIS Transport Working Group final report can be progressed. My officials are engaging and actively contributing to discussions on this matter, and outcomes will form a key part of ongoing work for the development of transport-focussed actions under the next National Disability Strategy.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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637. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the challenges faced by persons with debilitating conditions who are wheelchair users and who are reliant on public transport to get to appointments; if she understands that the volunteer driver scheme operated by Fingal County Council does not cater for electric wheelchair users; if she is further aware that a service run by an organisation (details supplied) does not cover all of County Dublin; that people cannot fund transport from their disability payments and, as a result, are at risk of missing appointments; how a named person can manage to attend their appointments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15125/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Whilst HSE specialist disability services funding does not extend to transport costs, some transport supports are provided by the HSE or funded agencies on a discretionary basis and where resources permit. That said, my Department is working to finalise a new National Disability Strategy which will set out a whole-of-government approach to improving the lives of disabled people in Ireland, including a specific focus on enhancing transport and mobility options.

The Deputy will appreciate that schemes run by Fingal County Council are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.