Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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714. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth her views in relation to a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32363/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for this question and acknowledge the challenges associated with the issue as detailed and the barriers that individuals may face, not least in relation to communication and mobility.

It is important to note that while eligibility criteria for different schemes and supports offered by the state can differ, in broad terms we do not define disability by way of reference to individualised impairments or medicalised diagnoses. For instance, the Disability Act 2005 interprets disability as meaning a “substantial restriction in the capacity of the person to carry on a profession, business or occupation in the State or to participate in social or cultural life in the State by reason of an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual disability”.

This definition takes a broadly functional approach to disability, recognising that an individual's specific circumstances, societal barriers, and medical history will all have an impact on the extent to which a person is or is not "disabled". This is in line with the social model approach to disability set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It also provides a more flexible definition to health and social care practitioners where specialised health needs can be addressed in a manner that is not tied to a prescriptive list of conditions - which runs the risk of inadvertently excluding people from recognition or supports.

In respect of the EU declaration detailed, Government is committed to ensuring that disabled people are respected as self-evident holders of the same human rights as all others, aligning with our obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

As regards services provided to disabled people, including those specified by the Deputy, the HSE provides a range of assisted living services including Personal Assistant (PA) and Home Support (HS) Services to support individuals to maximise their capacity to live full and independent lives. PA and Home Support Services are provided either directly by the HSE or indirectly through a range of voluntary and private service providers. The majority of specialised disability provision (80%) is delivered through non-statutory service providers.

Home support services are provided to both children and adults with a wide range of disabilities from physical and sensory disabilities to intellectual disabilities and autism. The home support service for children with disabilities assists the child with various activities and supports the parent/family. Over 3.8 million home support hours were delivered to more than 6,600 persons in 2024.

PA services provide one-to-one support to people with physical disabilities in their homes and communities. The PA service facilitates a person’s independence, aims to improve their quality of life, and supports them to participate in their local community. A PA support can range from a few hours a week to daily assistance. A vital element of this personalised support is the full involvement of the individual in planning and agreeing the type, times when support is provided to them and choosing the best way to use their allocated PA hours, to enable them to achieve maximum control over their life by tailoring their service to meet their unique support requirements. In 2024, approx. 1.85m PA hours were delivered to more than 2,700 adults across the country.