Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The 2025 Programme for Government includes a number of commitments to advance the rights and improve the lives of people with disabilities, including:

• The development of a multi-year capital plan for investment in residential and independent living options for both adults and children, while continuing to implement the Time to Move on from Congregated Settings Strategy.
• Addressing waiting lists for specialist disability services by implementation of the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-6, and resourcing and delivering on its targets.

The Programme for Government recognises the requirement for a whole-of-government approach to advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

In 2025, the Department for Children, Disability and Equality published the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, which was developed with input from disabled people and representative organisations on the issues that matter the most to them.

The Department of Children, Disability and Equality and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, will work in collaboration with a number of other Departments and agencies including the HSE and Local Authorities, to advance Pillar 3 of the Strategy, which outlines a collective approach to provide a clear pathway for disabled people to access the supports they require to live independently and address societal barriers that impact on their daily lives.

Availability of suitable housing is particularly important in the delivery of residential supports.

The implementation structures established under the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People (NHSDP) 2022-2027 are central to ensuring independent living housing outcomes for disabled people throughout Ireland. The provision of the housing for disabled people in conjunction with the care (health and social care) supports is the cornerstone of supporting independent living for disabled people. The Health Service Executive (HSE), under the auspices of the Department of Children, Disability, and Equality (in the case of physical, intellectual and sensory disability), and the Department of Health (in the case of mental health disability), is responsible for funding the provision of care support services by disability service providers.

The Department of Children, Disability and Equality, DCDE, is engaging with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Housing Authority, and the HSE, to explore means of responding to the need for additional capacity, which can assist forward planning and cost-effective placements.

At national level, implementation and monitoring of the Strategy is driven by the National Implementation Steering Group (NISG) (chaired by the Housing Agency) with membership from key Departments and Agencies and both Disabled Persons Organisations and umbrella disability groups.

At the regional level, a new regional structure operating between the national and local structures was established under the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022-2027. Significantly, these new Regional Interagency Groups (RIGs) are based on the HSE Health Regions to ensure cooperation and collaboration at an operational local level bringing together both the local authority and HSE dedicated housing representatives for both disability and mental health services. These Groups also aim to bring consistency across their organisations and evaluate any pilot structures or process progress in their area.

At local level, all local authorities have established Housing and Disability Steering Groups (HDSGs) whose role is to put in place strategic plans for housing for disabled people and to monitor activity under these plans and are therefore a key driver of the provision of housing for disabled people at local level. HDSGs facilitate integrated, aligned and timely responses to the housing needs of disabled people through an interagency collaboration framework to drive progress at the local level. Membership of the HDSGs includes local authority Director of Housing Services, HSE, Disabled Persons Organisations, organisations for disabled people including service providers, and Approved Housing Body sector.

In addition, a number of HSE regions have appointed dedicated Housing Coordinators to assist with residential placement planning and identifying housing options for people with all levels of disability.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The 2025 Programme for Government includes a number of commitments to advance the rights and improve the lives of people with disabilities, including:

• The development of a multi-year capital plan for investment in residential and independent living options for both adults and children, while continuing to implement the Time to Move on from Congregated Settings Strategy.
• Addressing waiting lists for specialist disability services by implementation of the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-6, and resourcing and delivering on its targets.

The Programme for Government recognises the requirement for a whole-of-government approach to advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

In 2025, the Department for Children, Disability and Equality published the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, which was developed with input from disabled people and representative organisations on the issues that matter the most to them.

The Department of Children, Disability and Equality and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, will work in collaboration with a number of other Departments and agencies including the HSE and Local Authorities, to advance Pillar 3 of the Strategy, which outlines a collective approach to provide a clear pathway for disabled people to access the supports they require to live independently and address societal barriers that impact on their daily lives.

Availability of suitable housing is particularly important in the delivery of residential supports.

The implementation structures established under the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People (NHSDP) 2022-2027 are central to ensuring independent living housing outcomes for disabled people throughout Ireland. The provision of the housing for disabled people in conjunction with the care (health and social care) supports is the cornerstone of supporting independent living for disabled people. The Health Service Executive (HSE), under the auspices of the Department of Children, Disability, and Equality (in the case of physical, intellectual and sensory disability), and the Department of Health (in the case of mental health disability), is responsible for funding the provision of care support services by disability service providers.

The Department of Children, Disability and Equality, DCDE, is engaging with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Housing Authority, and the HSE, to explore means of responding to the need for additional capacity, which can assist forward planning and cost-effective placements.

At national level, implementation and monitoring of the Strategy is driven by the National Implementation Steering Group (NISG) (chaired by the Housing Agency) with membership from key Departments and Agencies and both Disabled Persons Organisations and umbrella disability groups.

At the regional level, a new regional structure operating between the national and local structures was established under the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022-2027. Significantly, these new Regional Interagency Groups (RIGs) are based on the HSE Health Regions to ensure cooperation and collaboration at an operational local level bringing together both the local authority and HSE dedicated housing representatives for both disability and mental health services. These Groups also aim to bring consistency across their organisations and evaluate any pilot structures or process progress in their area.

At local level, all local authorities have established Housing and Disability Steering Groups (HDSGs) whose role is to put in place strategic plans for housing for disabled people and to monitor activity under these plans and are therefore a key driver of the provision of housing for disabled people at local level. HDSGs facilitate integrated, aligned and timely responses to the housing needs of disabled people through an interagency collaboration framework to drive progress at the local level. Membership of the HDSGs includes local authority Director of Housing Services, HSE, Disabled Persons Organisations, organisations for disabled people including service providers, and Approved Housing Body sector.