Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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156. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of legal actions initiated against her Department in respect of the Disability Act in each year since 2020 to date in 2025; the numbers in which a settlement was reached; the numbers in which cases are ongoing, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57593/25]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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157. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total expenditure within her Department in each year since 2020 to date in 2025, on legal costs associated with cases taken in respect of the Disability Act; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57594/25]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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158. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total expenditure within her Department in each year since 2020 to date in 2025, on settlements associated with cases taken in respect of the Disability Act; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57595/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 156, 157 and 158 together.

The Disability Act 2005 provides for the assessment of health and education needs of persons with disabilities. It provides for a complaints mechanism in the case of non-provisions of services. It also provides for the facilitation of better access to public building and public services by persons with disability, and it obliges the State to promote equality and social inclusion.

The transfer of policy, functions and funding responsibility for specialist community-based disability services from the Minister for Health to the (then) Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth was announced by Government in June 2020. S.I. No. 688 of 2022 Specialist Community-Based Disability Services (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2022 was signed by An Taoiseach Micheál Martin T.D. on the 13 December 2022 with a commencement date of 1 March 2023.

The number of legal actions initiated against my Department in respect of the Disability Act since 2023 is set out below, along with a breakdown of the numbers settled or ongoing: