Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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136. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is satisfied with the delivery of the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026, considering significantly lower levels of delivery to date; the additional measures she will take to achieve proposed targets; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29005/26]

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026 represents the first phase of implementing the recommendations of the Disability Capacity Review to 2032.

It set out a series of ambitious targets and while solid progress has been made across a range of measures outlined in the Plan, it has to be acknowledged that certain sectoral challenges remain.

As provided for in the Plan, the Department published the first end-of-year report in respect of 2024 recently. The 2024 Action Plan report showed that several key targets were met or exceeded, including the delivery of Priority 1 residential placements and respite services. Increases in supports for independent living such as Personal Assistance and Home Support were welcomed by the Action Plan Monitoring Group as demonstrating progress towards the Action Plan’s emphasis on person-centred services and reflect the State’s duties under UNCRPD Article 19 on independent living and community participation.

There was also encouraging progress on workforce capacity, reflecting focused efforts by the HSE on recruitment, retention and workforce planning. The Action Plan Monitoring Group noted that the establishment of a dedicated Disability Workforce Strategy Lead within the HSE, represents important reform that will potentially strengthen long-term service planning and accountability and will inform an integrated, strategic approach across primary and community care.

Of course, progress on the achievement of Action Plan targets is influenced by various factors, including workforce constraints and organisational capacity within service providers. These challenges are being experienced more broadly across the health and social care sector and continue to affect the pace at which some elements of the Action Plan can progress. The advancement of all measures under the Action Plan are dependent on the annual estimates and budgetary cycle.

A total of €3.9 billion was allocated for HSE Disability Services in Budget 2026. This represents a €628m or circa 20% increase in current funding on 2025 and follows significant year on year increases since 2020.

• The additional funding in 2026 includes a significant existing level of service (ELS) provision of €478m to address sectoral funding pressures such as the increased cost of service provision, pay cost pressures, capacity limitations and service provider sustainability.
• Furthermore, €150m is provided to fund service expansion in residential and respite services, day service provision and increased investment in home support and personal assistance programmes.
• Increased budget funding will also fund neurorehabilitation team expansion, children’s services, and data and reform initiatives.