Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 May 2026
424. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to a campaign (details supplied); if she has engaged with same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33811/26]
View answer425. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the survey carried out by a campaign (details supplied) regarding the delivery of residential places for adults with intellectual disability; the actions she will take to ensure that these issues are addressed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33814/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 424 and 425 together.
I recently met with members of the Before We Die group and I wish to acknowledge the ongoing work of the group, in advocating for increases in the provision of residential services for people with disabilities and to bring awareness to the issues many of the parents involved are facing. I understand An Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister Emer Higgins have also separately met with the group, in addition to representatives from the HSE.
I wish to assure you that this Government, along with the HSE, is committed to supporting people with disabilities and their families/carer(s) and will continue to work to provide and expand services to ensure people are provided with the necessary supports at the appropriate time.
I wish to thank Before We Die for providing this survey, which was previously shared with the Department. It is always very valuable to hear from people with disabilities and their families/carers.
The Department is undertaking research and progressing policy development throughout 2026, with a view to developing a new policy framework for specialist residential services. The policy development process will consider a range of matters relevant to specialist residential services including models of service. The Department and I appreciate the views and information provided by the Before We Die group, which will be taken into consideration in ongoing policy discussions.
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.
There are several measures and programmes aimed at supporting people with disabilities to remain in their family homes for as long as they and their families wish. However, the Department acknowledges that in most cases, a person with an intellectual disability will require full-time residential care at some stage in their life.
In this instance, the HSE, alongside contracted service providers, make every effort to provide the correct supports. Supports for people with disabilities, including those with ageing parents/carers include day services, respite services, residential services, home support and personal assistance.
The Department of Children, Disability and Equality continues to engage with the HSE, to expand and develop residential services for people with disabilities. A number of actions are underway to move towards a more planned approach to providing residential care.
As of February 2026, 8,927 specialist disability places are being delivered by approximately 90 service providers. Since 2020, additional funding provided to the HSE has supported the creation of almost a thousand additional residential places for people with disabilities.
Approximately €3.9 billion of funding has been allocated to Specialist Disability Services in 2026. Specialist disability residential services make up the largest part of the Disability funding disbursed by the HSE, almost 60% (€2.2bn) of the total budget.
€65m has been allocated to Disability Residential Services in 2026 for new developments, which includes €40m of funding that will provide in the region of 199 residential responses. This includes 152 newly created residential placements as outlined in the HSE’s National Service Plan for 2026, including 72 planned places and 80 places to meet urgent, unplanned need. Funding will also support new residents in existing placements that have become vacant and require enhancement and in limited circumstances, placements in nursing home settings.
Generally, the majority of people with disabilities who receive new residential placements are currently living with their parent(s) or carer(s) and it should be expected that a number of the new planned places and unplanned urgent places funded in 2026, will be provided to people with disabilities, living with older parents.
The Department of Children, Disability and Equality is working closely with the HSE to achieve a more balanced response to the demand for residential placements and move towards planned provision and away from unplanned responses where possible. HSE regions are working collaboratively with voluntary service providers in each Integrated Healthcare Area to identify and prioritise individuals, in an effort to ensure plans are in place before a crisis arises.
In addition to funding existing and new residential services, in 2026 with allocated funding, the HSE has begun work to establish Residential Placement Planning & Review Teams in each Regional Health Area. The aim of these teams will be to ensure that individuals are appropriately assessed in relation to support needs prior to placement in residential services and reviewed in a timely manner for duration of the placement in respect of quality of care and support needs.
Availability of suitable housing is particularly important in the delivery of residential supports. The National Housing Strategy 2022 to 2027 places responsibility for the provision of housing with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and it is the responsibility of the HSE to provide additional supports related to care needs to varying degrees of complexity.
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. Additionally, the HSE and Local Authorities are working together through regional inter-agency groups to develop and advance plans for delivering housing to people with disabilities.
