Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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40. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the programme plan for his Department's new disability unit for 2025-2027 [56577/25]

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Reflecting the importance of disability issues and as part of a new whole-of-Government approach to disability, the Disability Unit in the Department of the Taoiseach was established to bring added weight, urgency and focus to the area of disability. The Unit’s first Programme Plan, published in September, outlines how the Unit will compliment and contribute to the delivery of the new Government national disability strategy, the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-30, working across Government to make the ambitions in the strategy a reality.

In particular, the Unit will look to further drive innovation and get things done, to give momentum to policy implementation, to improve delivery of services, to troubleshoot as appropriate, and to encourage strategic thinking on future challenges. The Unit will also support the work of the Cabinet Committee on Disability.

The first Programme Plan for the Unit outlines ten priority areas for 2025 up to 2027 across five workstreams:

• Workstream 1: Transforming Children’s Disability Services – Early Years, Education and Health

• Workstream 2: Increasing System Capacity

• Workstream 3: Opening Doors and Addressing Barriers to Employment Pathways and Supports

• Workstream 4: Implementing the National Disability Strategy

• Workstream 5: Planning and Designing for the Future

The Programme Plan allows for further workstreams to be assigned to the Unit as may be needed.

The Unit is already up and running – the Cabinet Committee on Disability has met five times to date, and, with the support of the Unit, has considered issues including the new national disability strategy, the provision of therapists in special schools, improving the delivery of services, and reform of the Assessment of Need (AON) process.

Work is ongoing by the Unit on its initial Budget Spotlight on Disability. This report, to be published in due course, will provide an overview on the disability aspects of Budget 2026. The Unit will work to support a cohesive and comprehensive approach to disability over the next four Budgets.

As part of the new national disability strategy, various structures will be set up to consult and engage with disabled people. The Unit will be working closely with these structures, including the new Delivery and Monitoring Committee for the Strategy.