Aisling Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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731. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware that some people using disability day services are being charged daily transport fees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37442/25]

Aisling Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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732. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide a list of day services for people with disabilities that charge people for their transport to and from their service. [37443/25]

Aisling Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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733. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on a matter (details supplied). [37444/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 731 to 733, inclusive, together.

The HSE provides specialist disability services, including Day Services and Rehabilitative Training, to people with disabilities who require such services, and people with intellectual disabilities would form the majority of service users who are supported by these services. While day service funding does not include transport, some transport supports are provided by the HSE or funded agencies on a discretionary basis, 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.

The HSE have been working with the National Transport Authority on this issue of transport to day services, through the ‘Open Routes’ project. Open Routes is based on the idea that transport to HSE services such as day services would be best served by accessible local public transport such as the Local Link, transporting people to their day services, but also serving the wider local community as well with enhanced public transport provision.

The approach is being piloted in Leitrim. The NTA advise that the Integrated Pilot Project was developed in close collaboration with the HSE, with a revised network that is designed to meet the needs of mainstream public transport users as well as the transport needs of passengers with disabilities and those accessing health care services in the county.

To date all feedback with regard to the pilot from stakeholders such as HSE, day service providers, external stakeholders and passengers has been very positive. In addition to the positive feedback, passenger numbers on Regular Rural Services has grown considerably since the introduction of the revised TFI Local Link network for County Leitrim. This is a model that could be applied in other parts of the country, with the NTA leading on this and working closely with local partners such as the HSE.

Under the National Disability Inclusion Strategy, the Department of Transport has responsibility for the continued development of accessibility and availability of accessible public transport. To develop proposals for better coordination of transport and mobility supports for people with disabilities, a Transport Working Group was established to make progress under Action 104 of the NDIS. The Group’s final report has been published and it contains valuable proposals to inform future policy and action. It will be incumbent on all Government departments and agencies with responsibility for transport and mobility supports to consider the proposals in coordinating on next steps.

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.