Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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775. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she intends to allocate funding in the upcoming Budget for a team for the southeast, in line with the Programme for Government commitment to complete the nationwide roll out of community neurorehabilitation teams; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51576/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government – 'Securing Ireland’s Future’ - includes a commitment for advancing Neuro-Rehabilitation services nationally including the completion of the national rollout of Health Service Executive (HSE) Community Neuro-rehabilitation Teams.

The HSE is leading on the implementation framework in respect of the recommendations of the National Policy and Strategy for the provision of Neuro-Rehabilitation Services in Ireland 2011-2015.

The Neuro-Rehabilitation Strategy Implementation Framework was launched in February 2019. The overarching aim of the Strategy is the development of neuro-rehabilitation services to improve patient outcomes by providing safe, high quality, person-centred neuro-rehabilitation at the lowest appropriate level of complexity. This must be integrated across the care pathway and provided as close to home as possible or in specialist centres where necessary.

The National Neurorehabilitation Strategy and National Clinical Programme for Rehabilitation Medicine outline the need for people who experience impairments resulting from a neurological illness or injury to have access to specialist Neuro-Rehabilitation services through coordinated networks called Managed Clinical Rehabilitation Networks.

The aim is to configure services into population based Managed Clinical Rehabilitation Networks (MCRNs) with the aim being to develop MCRNs around the country.

To support the HSE’s work in delivering on the implementation framework, responsibility for the development of in-patient services lies with the Department of Health, while the Department of Children, Disability and Equality holds responsibility for the development of community neuro-rehabilitation teams.

Community Neuro Rehabilitation Teams (CNRTs) are specialised teams providing specialist neuro-rehabilitation to people with complex needs close to home. They provide a critical link in the care pathway by facilitating early discharge and continuity from both acute and post-acute rehabilitation facilities.

The National Neuro-Rehabilitation Strategy is rolling out CNRTs nationally, underpinned by standardised process and procedures.

The HSE’s 2025 National Service Plan, sets out its commitment to develop Community Neuro-Rehabilitation Teams (CNRTs) in line with the 2019 Neuro-Rehabilitation Implementation Framework and enhance capacity for its implementation nationally, to ensure equity access for those who need it regardless of where they live.

To date, this Government has provided funding for Community Neuro-Rehabilitation Teams (CNRT) in HSE Galway, Roscommon and Mayo, HSE South-West, HSE Dublin South and Wicklow and HSE Dublin South West, South City and West and Kildare West Wicklow. Each team includes 12 Whole Time Equivalents and recruitment is progressing with all four teams currently being onboarded.

In addition to these new teams, there are two CNRTs in existence in HSE Donegal and HSE Mid West that predate the strategy.

Moving forward with the strategy, the intention is to enhance the existing CNRTs, develop CNRT’s in Regional Health Areas (RHAs) where they are currently not yet in place and to create a large population-based Community Neuro-Rehabilitation Team within each RHA, following the implementation of the new Regional Health Areas within Sláintecare.

Consideration of Specialist Disability Services and funding requirements for Budget 2026 is ongoing. The Department of Children, Disability and Equality has been actively engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation and the Health Service Executive throughout this process.

Confirmation and further information on funding to be provided will be made public following the announcement of the Budget 2026, later this year.

As Budget 2026 has not yet been announced, confirmation regarding funding for CNRTs in specific regions cannot yet be provided. Following confirmation of 2026 funding, the HSE will publish their 2026 National Service Plan, which will set out expected activity for 2026.