Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 September 2025
21. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to enhance respite services for children with neurological disability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50206/25]
View answerI wish to thank the Deputy for providing me with an opportunity to speak further on this matter.
Firstly, I wish to assure the Deputy that the Government and the HSE recognise the importance of respite service provision for children with disabilities and their families and the positive impact it can have on people’s lives.
As a vital part of the continuum of services for families, respite potentially helps prevent out-of-home full-time residential placements, preserves the family unit, and supports family stability.
This Government is committed to delivering on the Programme for Government commitments which support respite provision including the commitment to progressively increase funding for respite services and to continue to support and expand the network respite houses for children and adults.
The HSE advises that provision of respite services has come under increasing pressure in the past number of years due to a number of impacting factors including the increase in those seeking respite as a reflection of the general population increase and increasing or changing levels of complexity.
To enhance respite provision, significant funding has been provided over the last number of years. In 2024, approximately €120million was provided to respite service provision, an increase of 43% since 2021.
In Budget 2025, additional funding of €13.9million has been allocated to meet additional costs arising from 2024 developments and further responses into 2025.
While costs for respite services have continued to increase, from 2022 to 2025 increased funding has supported additional respite provision including:
• an increase of respite overnights of almost 23%,
• day only respite sessions which have more than doubled.
The number of alternatives to overnight centre-based respite options have been growing.
Increased funding in recent years has facilitated the opening of new services, and alternative or day respite options can be easier and quicker to put in place than new centre-based options which have a longer lead in time.
Alternative respite is a broad term that covers a range of respite options outside of centre based overnight provision. Examples of alternative respite include home-sharing, afterschool clubs, weekend activities, summer camps and evening activities. These are delivered by the HSE together with funded organisations to provide children and their families with multiple options to suit their needs.
In respect of funding for future respite provision, consideration of Specialist Disability Services and funding requirements for Budget 2026 is ongoing. The Department of Children, Disability and Equality has been actively engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation and the Health Service Executive throughout this process.
Confirmation and further information on funding to be provided will be made public following the announcement of the Budget 2026, later this year.
Following confirmation of 2026 funding, the HSE will publish their 2026 National Service Plan, which will set out expected activity for 2026.
The HSE will shortly be commencing an audit of respite services and capacity across all health regions. This will inform future policy and service expansion in the broader respite area.
