John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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146. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the status and number of operational respite beds for children with disabilities in Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28742/26]

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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HSE South West Disability Services delivers residential respite, day respite and a range of alternative respite models. Alternative respite models include afterschool clubs, in-home support for children, outreach supports and holiday breaks for adults. A variety of services ensures that respite is provided in the manner which best meets the needs of the person and their families.

HSE South West Disability Services is acutely aware of the demand for respite services and, on receipt of funding, has significantly invested in respite services in recent years. HSE South West Disability Services continues to invest in respite services, developing alternative respite models and progressively developing additional respite services for those who require them.

HSE South West, Disability Services provides equitable access to respite services for children with disabilities in the Cork area and ensure that all available resources are used to maximum capacity.

HSE South West Disability Service Respite Fora meets on a bi-monthly basis to review all applications for respite received. Each application is reviewed to identify the appropriate respite for the child and their family. If respite is not immediately available, the child will be added to a waiting list for those seeking a service.

HSE South West Disability Services can advise, from key performance activity data (Cork only) at the end of 2025 that

• 818 children availed of respite services from S38, S39 and not for profit providers.
• A total of 2,697 respite overnights (with or without day respite) was delivered to children with an intellectual disability, physical and sensory disability and/ or with autism.
• A total of 2,576 day only respite sessions were delivered in 2025.

Joe Cooney (Clare, Fine Gael)
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147. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the specific measures that are being put in place in 2026 to ensure that the additional 10,000 respite nights announced in Budget 2026 are distributed equitably across all HSE health regions, including the Mid-West; the mechanisms that will be put in place to track delivery of those additional respite nights at a county level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28759/26]

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

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 alternative and centre based within their community in 2026. HSE goals and outcomes are specified in the National Service Plan but the Health Regions will allocate the resources to optimise their use and impact for their populations.

This funding will be used to support a range of service openings and expansions across the country and there will be particular focus on strengthening provision in areas that currently have a lower level of supports. The HSE have recently completed an audit of respite services across the country. The audit was undertaken 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. The audit is the first step in a wide-ranging program of improvements in the area of respite.

A national policy framework for respite is being progressed by the Department in 2026 and will consider the availability of respite services and models, focusing on building out over time a more equitable geographical spread of services. The policy framework on respite services will set out how to expand provision through new service initiatives and enhanced use of existing resources. It will also emphasise the importance of working towards regional equity as regards the availability and access to respite services.

In recent years, there has been greater investment in respite services. As a result of this, Budget 2026 increased the funding for HSE Mid West for respite services. 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.

Monthly KPls and residential trackers are used to track delivery of respite nights. This tracking system will also be used to monitor additional nights that come on stream in 2026. There are monthly meetings with HSE Mid West and the National Disability Officer that assess activity associated with this funding.

The HSE Mid West Disability Service is also actively engaging with providers to reduce respite waiting times and acknowledges that further development of residential respite care for children and young people with disabilities in Co. Clare services is required.