Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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949. To ask the Minister for Health if additional funding will be provided to an organisation (details supplied) in Budget 2026, that are experiencing a significant increase in demand for services nationally, particularly in community based care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52141/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Children’s palliative care is provided through a shared care approach involving: GP’s, Paediatrician’s, Community Specialist Palliative Care Teams, Clinical Nurse Coordinators, and the Children’s Health Ireland Specialist Palliative Care Team. All these teams work collaboratively in caring for the child and their family. A key enabler of this model of care is the remote support provided by the Consultants in Paediatric Palliative Medicine at Children’s Health Ireland Crumlin and Temple Street.

The voluntary sector, including organisations such as Laura Lynn Children’s Hospice, provide essential support to the statutory services with additional in-home nursing and respite supports for families. Laura Lynn receives core funding from the Health Service Executive under a Section 39 Service Agreement. Recurring core statutory funding for Laura Lynn of €1.5 million was allocated for the first time in Budget 2021. In 2022, an additional €800,000 was provided in once off funding. In 2023, €800,000 was provided in additional recurrent funding to Laura Lynn, increasing their base funding to €2.3 million per year. In 2025, state funding increased further to €3.3 million, representing over 30% of Laura Lynn’s total operating costs.

This funding has been used to provide a sustainable financial base to the organisation as well as to increase Laura Lynn’s ‘Hospice in the Home’ service across Leinster, Munster and Connacht. Laura Lynn’s pre-budget submission request is to be funded €5.3 million or 50% of their total operational costs in 2026. This request will be considered as part of the overall budgetary and estimates process.

As part of the Programme for Government, we will continue to invest in children’s palliative care and develop a new evidence-based national policy on palliative care for children. The total national palliative care budget is today over €184 million per year – a 15% increase on 2024 and a 50% increase on 2020.