Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1921. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the terms of the Statement of Purpose for counties Cavan and Monaghan currently excludes adults with mild intellectual disabilities, including autism, from respite supports and services; and if Cavan and Monaghan is the only area where this exclusion currently exists. [45389/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1922. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to clarify if respite supports and services in counties Cavan and Monaghan are reserved for adults with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities only, thereby excluding adults with mild intellectual disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45390/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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1923. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will meet with a cohort of parents with adult children with disabilities in County Kerry regarding the urgent need for respite for these young adults and to discuss the opening of Cunamh in Caherciveen on a permanent basis (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45391/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I meet with people with disabilities, parents, families school and wider communities on an ongoing basis, including in County Kerry and across the country, and I am happy to continue to do so. I have met parents' representatives in relation to the issues you have raised in Kerry.

Cúnamh Iveragh is a HIQA registered respite service which currently operates on a part-time basis with demand exceeding available capacity. A business case to support funding and resource allocation for the permanent opening of Cúnamh Iveragh has been submitted to HSE South West.

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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1924. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to make respite services available to families in County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45392/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1927. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will seek a suitable time for a person (details supplied) to use the hydrotherapy pool in Cavan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45415/25]

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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1928. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to facilitate the opening of a care centre (details supplied) on a full time basis, seven days and nights per week; her views on whether one night of respite care in a five-year period is acceptable; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45431/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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1929. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the HSE has considered subsidising private assessments or interventions when public waiting lists exceed 12-months for children with developmental needs. [45450/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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It is important to note that children do not require an Assessment of Need as defined by the Disability Act (2005) in order to access a CDNT, Primary Care service, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service or any Health or Social care service. They can be referred by a healthcare professional or parent/carer to the CDNT, for children with complex needs as a result of their disability, or to Primary Care for children with non-complex needs.

Private assessments are sourced by some families to facilitate access to educational supports. In many cases, these are unidisciplinary assessments which are usually accepted in the education sector. In general, HSE or HSE funded services, in line with best practice guidelines, use a multidisciplinary approach to assessment.

In line with appropriate procurement procedures, Garda vetting and due diligence practice, private providers are contracted by the HSE to provide assessments and / or interventions. The HSE must ensure that the contracted providers are appropriately qualified and that any assessments or interventions are provided in line with the legislation, HSE Standard Operating Procedures and the iHIQA standards.

It is important to note that a new HSE procurement process has recently commenced which will update and reset the framework for procurement of private sector capacity in regards to assisting with the backlog of assessments. The HSE expect the new framework to commence by the end of October this year.

The HSE has no mandate or financial mechanism to reimburse or subsidise fees paid by families directly to private agencies for health services. However, if a parent or guardian has identified a private provider or assessor willing to carry out an Assessment on their child, they can discuss this with HSE representatives. If the provider has the appropriate qualifications and meets the HSE’s criteria in relation to the relevant standards as outlined above, then they may be contracted to undertake assessments. The HSE will pay the provider/assessor directly for any assessment.

The HSE does not fund, reimburse or subsidise any fees paid to private practitioners in any of the health service areas where assessments, interventions or therapies have been commissioned by the service user or their family directly.