Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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2254. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plan, timeline and cost to increase support for people with disabilities to access supported independent living; the provision of supports to live at home, in order to phase out long-term care in a nursing home for younger people with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43558/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government sets out specific commitments to advance the rights and improve the lives of people with disabilities. These include to increase Disability Home Support and personal assistance hours, to develop a multi-year capital plan for investment in residential and independent living options for both adults and children and to continue to end the practice of placing young people with disabilities in nursing homes.

To support these commitments, Budget 2025 provided a total of €3.2 billion for HSE Disability Services. This amounts to an increase of 11.5% in funding, some €333m, on funding provided in 2024.

Consideration of specialist disability service and funding requirements, including those for the U65 programme, for Budget 2026 is currently ongoing. The Department of Children, Disability and Equality will be engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation and with the Health Service Executive during the process.

Following the publication of the Ombudsman’s “Wasted Lives: Time for a better future for younger people in nursing homes” report in 2021, the HSE is co-ordinating a programme at the Health Regions operational and national levels, to progressively address the review and implement the report’s recommendations for which the HSE has accountability.

From 2021 to 2025, the Government provided funding of €21.4million to the HSE’s implementation programme.

The recommendations include to transition those within this cohort, out of nursing homes and into homes within the community and to enhance the lives of those under the age of 65 currently in nursing homes.

This funding has supported a total of 104 people under the age of 65 to transition from a nursing home into a home of their choosing in the community, with a further 17 transitions expected by the end of this year.

It should also be noted that as of December 2024, 154 people were provided with Enhanced Quality of Life supports such as Personal Assistance hours, specialist and therapeutic supports as well as the provision of Personal devices.

The implementation programme has been divided into five work streams which include:

1. Quality of life and model of service development – “A Place to Call Home”,
2. Funding and personal finances,
3. Services access and navigation,
4. Informed consent policy and human rights,
5. Nursing Home (NH) U65 (under 65) survey.

Therefore, the HSE along with Voluntary and Private organisations are providing a variety of supports to people with disabilities including Personal Assistants, peer supports, respite, day services, home supports, Advocacy and Digital and Assistive Technology. These supports are governed by a diverse range of health and social care policies and ongoing programmes.

Additionally, due to the programme of work being carried out by the HSE, there is a greater awareness across Acute services, Older Persons and Disability services of the need to prevent those aged under 65 being placed in Nursing Homes.