Joe Cooney (Clare, Fine Gael)
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126. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps she is taking to reduce waiting times for residential respite care for children and young people with disabilities in County Clare; and whether she will provide a breakdown of the current waiting list for respite services in the HSE Mid-West region, including the number of children waiting and average waiting times, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28758/26]

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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About 7,500 people avail periodically of centre-based respite, with regional disparities in access to the service and overall substantial unmet need. Budget 2026 provides €25m additional funding for respite expansion, supporting close to 10,000 additional overnight and 25,000 additional day respite sessions.

In their National Service Plan (NSP) for 2026, the HSE have committed to investing the €25m in respite services, which aims to ensure equitable access across regions, with a mix of centre-based, in home, overnight and alternative respite options. The HSE anticipates that in the region of 500 more children and adults with a disability will receive respite sessions both centre based and alternative within their community in 2026.

This funding will support the development of a range of service openings and expansions across the country, with a particular focus on strengthening provision in areas that currently have a lower level of supports. The HSE have recently undertaken an audit of respite services, in order to get a comprehensive picture of current service provision nationally and provide insights into a range of areas such as unmet need, occupancy levels, data collection and types of respite being offered in different areas.

This funding will be used to provide additional overnight and alternative respite for children, young adults and adults in Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary with a number of different service providers.

In 2023 a new respite house delivered by Carrowgar Respite Service became operational in Co Clare.

Last year, the HSE and Enable Ireland worked together to increase the capacity of the Hazeldine respite facility in Barefield. This addition will allow for an extra 300 bed nights to be provided by the end of 2026.

HSE continues to work with partner agencies to increase respite and residential capacity and deliver additional services.

In addition, HSE Mid West have been allocated funding for a Summer Respite Initiative for 35 projects for children, young adults and adults across the Mid West. HSE Mid West is engaged with the various service providers to progress these projects which will predominantly be day respite activity. The number of persons who attend these services, number of hours of respite delivered, costings and service user feedback will all be collated to evaluate the impact of this service.

HSE Estates is also currently in the process of securing two properties for overnight respite in the region and a number of proposals have been submitted under the HSE Capital Plan for disabilities for appropriate consideration and assessment.

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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130. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to urgently address the huge shortage of respite beds in Kerry, where families are being allocated respite and not receiving same due to lack of availability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28997/26]

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I would like to thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I am acutely aware of the demand for respite services in Kerry and I am informed by HSE South West Disability Services that on receipt of funding, the Region has been in a position to significantly invest in respite services in recent years. HSE South West Disability Services continues to invest in respite services, to proactively seek opportunities for new developments and alternative respite models, utilising all available funding to provide respite services for children and adults who require them.

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. Kerry residential respite services for adults who are 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. These are also 7 historical respite beds provided by Kerry Parents and Friends Association (KPFA) which support adults attending KPFA services.

Respite is a vital part of the continuum of services for families, potentially helping to prevent out-of-home full-time residential placements, preserving the family unit, and supporting family stability. Meeting ongoing demand for centre-based respite continues to be a challenge, reflecting wider constraints in the housing market.

Where funding is provided for centres, additional time is often required to bring facilities to a standard that will meet regulations. Despite this, there are continuous efforts to add to overnight capacity in Kerry and in the meantime, alternative respite options are explored as the HSE is committed to expanding respite provision in the area.

As a result, there are a number of recent developments in respite services in Kerry that I can share with the Deputy.

• A weekend club for children has commenced in Kerry. This club provides respite to approximately twenty children on a rotational fortnightly basis. Families are free to choose a morning or afternoon session which lasts for approximately three hours. Additionally, a number of families have been provided with bespoke respite arrangements to support them in response to specific challenges.
• I am informed by the HSE that 75 packages providing 96 hours of outreach support per year have been fully allocated since February 2026 in Kerry.
• In addition, funding approval was recently received for Kerry Social Farming to deliver Alternative Respite Support to 100 people in Co. Kerry. This includes 87 individuals already on their waiting list as well as those currently availing of social farming.
• Sailing into Wellness is an organisation based in Kinsale and during the summer holidays their service is extended to a base in Fenit, Co. Kerry. They work with children by providing therapeutic sailing opportunities for children with disabilities. Weekly rotational respite will be provided for children aged 12 years and over. The service will be available to an estimated sixteen children in Cork and eight children in Kerry during the summer holidays.
• I understand the HSE is also engaging with the GAA in respect of potential joint Cúl Camps in summer 2026.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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132. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to report on any meetings she has had with disability representative organisations regarding soaring fuel costs since the outbreak of the current war in the Middle East. [29125/26]

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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It is important at the outset to outline the action that Government is taking to assist households and businesses with the cost of fuel and energy.

Those that engage with specialist disability services will benefit from these supports.

• At this point, the €750 million intervention by the Irish Government is one of the more significant in the EU.
• We have reduced excise on petrol, diesel and MGO. When taken with a reduction in the NORA, National Oil Reserves Agency, Levy, that means 32 cent off a litre of diesel, 27 cent off a litre of petrol [and 7.4 cent on Marked Gas Oil (MGO)].
• We have deferred the increase on carbon tax which was due to take place on 1 May until 14 October. This provides further support to consumers of kerosene, natural gas, solid fuels, MGO and other relevant fuels.
• We have increased the maximum repayment amount available to qualifying road haulage and bus transport operators the Diesel Rebate Scheme from 7.5 cent to 12 cents per litre for Quarters 1 and 2 of 2026.
• We are conscious too that people are worried about the cost of home heating and have extended the Fuel Allowance season — helping vulnerable groups such as pensioners, carers, people with a disability and low-income working families.
• It’s also really important we help sectors of our economy most impacted by the rise of fuel costs, such as our hauliers, bus and coach operators. That’s why we have expanded the diesel rebate scheme and have backdated it to January.