Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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103. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taken to provide urgently needed respite for families of children/adults with profound disabilities in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61583/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government includes a commitment to continued expansion of all types of respite services, building on additional investment and progress over the last few years.

HSE South West Disability Services operate separate Children and Adult Regional Respite Forums. Each forum manages the referrals and respite service provision for the population of the region to ensure equitable access to respite services, consistent with each person’s assessed need and preference. Service provider representatives and HSE South West Disability Services personnel comprise membership of the Regional Respite Forum.

HSE South West Disability Services provide a range of respite models for children and adults. These include residential (overnight) respite centres, afterschool clubs for children and young people, in home support, outreach supports and holiday breaks for adults. These options ensure that respite is provided in the manner which best meets the needs of people and their families / carers.

Regional Health Area (RHA) HSE Southwest, which extends to the Cork and Kerry area, provided 17,181 respite overnights in 2024, 2,833 day only respite sessions and supported 760 people with a disability.

Kerry residential respite services for children aged between 6 and 18 years of age is delivered by St. John of God Services. There are two residential respite houses, one in North Kerry and one in South Kerry. Each house has 4 respite beds and operates 7 days per week with planned closures during the year.

A weekend club for children has commenced in Kerry. It provides respite to approximately twenty children on a rotational fortnightly basis. Additionally, a number of families have been provided with bespoke respite arrangements to support them in response to specific challenges.

Kerry residential respite services for adults aged 18 years to 65 years (at the age of entry) is delivered in two respite houses, one in North Kerry and one in South Kerry.

The North Kerry house has a maximum capacity of 4, is operated by The Orchard Care Group and is funded to operate a 7 days a week service.

The South Kerry house has a maximum capacity of 4, is operated by Dovida, and is open at weekends for 42 weeks per year.

The potential to deliver full time operating hours for the service is currently being examined.

Alternative respite services for children in Kerry include afterschool clubs, Saturday clubs and in home support as well as support for children to access community based activities, delivered in accordance with the assessed needs and preferences of children and their families.

Alternative respite services for adults in Kerry include evening and weekend support, outreach services and holiday breaks.

HSE South West Disability Services is acutely aware of the demand for respite services and continues to invest in respite services, proactively seeking alternative respite models and utilising all available funding to provide respite services for all children and adults who require them. HSE Disability Services are working with service providers to create new residential and alternative respite supports for children and adults in 2025/2026, to continue to invest in these vital services.