Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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1792. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the case of a delayed assessment of need for a child (details supplied) will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18627/25]

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.

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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1793. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to immediately engage with all relevant Departments and Ministers and establish an adult day service on the grounds of St. Mary of the Angels, Whitefield, Beaufort, County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18666/25]

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.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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1794. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will outline the grants available from her Department, or through other organisations but funded by her Department, for organisations working in the area of autism and disability, particularly those offering supports to parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18726/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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My Department funds the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund and the Children's Disability Service Grant Fund. While they are not specifically targeted towards autistic people, both funds support initiatives which are of great benefit to autistic people and their parents.

The Disability Participation and Awareness Fund was launched in 2021. The value of the fund in that year was €2.5m and it grew to €3.5m in 2024. This allocation has been maintained in Budget 2025.

The funding DPAF provides has directly supported dozens of projects that help people with disabilities, including autistic people, to participate and engage more fully in their local communities. In 2023 and 2024, the Fund supported 34 projects impacting communities all across Ireland. This included funding to AsIAm and Thriving Autistic to support projects aimed at improving supports and social participation for autistic adults. I will establish the priorities for this year's iteration of the Fund in due course and the criteria for access will be publicly announced.

In Budget 2025 funding was secured under the Autism Innovation Strategy for an Autism Innovation Fund. Proposals are currently being developed in my Department for the disbursal of the Fund this year.

In October 2023, the HSE, in conjunction with DCEDIY, launched an open call for applications for the Children’s Disability Service Grant Fund, an initiative detailed under action 2.7 of the Roadmap for Service Improvement 2023-2026, Disability Services for Children and Young People. In June 2024, the HSE confirmed that a total of 52 projects been chosen to receive funding under the Grant Fund, with a number of the larger projects to be funded over a three-year cycle. The total estimated cost of funding all 52 projects is €7.97m. There is a target date for commencing the projects mid-year 2025 and many of them are due to be completed to the end of 2027.

Applications for funding were open to organisations with an existing service arrangement or grant agreement with the HSE, community groups, voluntary groups and private service providers. Projects to be funded included recognised sensory programmes, evidence-based therapies such as equine therapy, respite - including clubs, evening and weekend sessions, Saturday clubs, sports sessions etc. and additional therapy sessions.