Written answers
Thursday, 6 November 2025
Department of Children, Disability and Equality
Disability Services
Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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351. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will outline how the €3 million in dedicated funding for community neurorehabilitation teams announced in Budget 2026 will be allocated across regions; and if she will ensure that County Louth receives sufficient investment to establish a fully staffed and operational community neurorehabilitation team. [60694/25]
Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As part of the budgetary process every year the Health Service Executive (HSE) develops a National Service Plan which outlines the priorities of the HSE as well as the health and social care services they will provide nationwide, within the allocated budget. This process is currently ongoing and when complete, the National Service Plan for 2026 will set out the requested details.
Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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352. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide a timeline for the establishment of a community neurorehabilitation team serving County Louth; and to detail the planned staffing levels and service capacity for that team. [60695/25]
Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As part of the budgetary process every year the Health Service Executive (HSE) develops a National Service Plan which outlines the priorities of the HSE as well as the health and social care services they will provide nationwide, within the allocated budget. This process is currently ongoing and when complete, the National Service Plan for 2026 will set out the requested details.
Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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353. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will confirm whether any existing neurorehabilitation services in County Louth will be expanded or integrated into the new community neurorehabilitation team model; and the engagement that has taken place with the HSE and local CHO management in this regard. [60696/25]
Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As part of the budgetary process every year the Health Service Executive (HSE) develops a National Service Plan which outlines the priorities of the HSE as well as the health and social care services they will provide nationwide, within the allocated budget. This process is currently ongoing and when complete, the National Service Plan for 2026 will set out the requested details.
Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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354. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the means by which her Department intends to monitor and evaluate the regional distribution of the new community neurorehabilitation teams to ensure equity of access, particularly in counties such as Louth where service provision has historically been limited. [60697/25]
Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government for 2025 commits the government to complete the national rollout of HSE Community Neuro-rehabilitation Teams and implement community-based multidisciplinary rehabilitation services in every Regional Health Area (RHA).
The Neuro-Rehabilitation Strategy Implementation Framework (IF) 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. These services are to be configured into population based Managed Clinical Rehabilitation Networks (MCRNs). The overarching aim is the development of population based MCRN’s around the country.
The Strategy aims to ensure equitable access to community neuro-rehabilitation around the country and there has been funding provided in successive budgets to ensure that the HSE can continue to roll out to community teams.
€3m was provided in Budget 2026 for the continued development of Community Neuro-Rehabilitation Services and details on how this funding will be used will be set out in HSE’s National Service Plan for 2026.
Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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355. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether a multidisciplinary community neurorehabilitation team for Louth will include specialists in neurology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, clinical psychology, and social work; and the recruitment plans in place to fill these posts. [60698/25]
Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As part of the budgetary process every year the Health Service Executive (HSE) develops a National Service Plan which outlines the priorities of the HSE as well as the health and social care services they will provide nationwide, within the allocated budget. This process is currently ongoing and when complete, the National Service Plan for 2026 will set out the requested details.
Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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356. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality how the €3 million announced in Budget 2026 compares to the level of investment recommended in the National Neurorehabilitation Strategy for full implementation of community-based neurorehabilitation teams nationwide. [60699/25]
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.
Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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357. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide details of the engagement between her Department, the HSE, and voluntary sector organisations in County Louth to design and deliver neurorehabilitation services tailored to local patient needs. [60700/25]
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.
Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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358. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will commit to publishing a regional breakdown of the new community neurorehabilitation team roll out plan, including expected service commencement dates for each county. [60701/25]
Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As part of the budgetary process every year the Health Service Executive (HSE) develops a National Service Plan which outlines the priorities of the HSE as well as the health and social care services they will provide nationwide, within the allocated budget. This process is currently ongoing and when complete, the National Service Plan for 2026 will set out the requested details.
Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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359. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures being taken to address existing waiting lists for neurorehabilitation in the northeast region pending the establishment of the new community teams. [60708/25]
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.
Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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360. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if funding has been ring-fenced for community neurorehabilitation infrastructure and equipment in County Louth, including therapy spaces and assistive technology. [60709/25]
Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As part of the budgetary process every year the Health Service Executive (HSE) develops a National Service Plan which outlines the priorities of the HSE as well as the health and social care services they will provide nationwide, within the allocated budget. This process is currently ongoing and when complete, the National Service Plan for 2026 will set out the requested details.
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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361. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if funding will be provided to a company (details supplied) to complete the refurbishment of the Blakestown CDNT rooms at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Clonsilla, Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60756/25]
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, as soon as possible.
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