Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2025
598. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will outline the current support provided for personalised budgets; her plans to expand this scheme to better support people with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62155/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraA personalised budget is an amount of funding allocated to an eligible person with a disability to enable them to make their own arrangements to meet specified support needs. A key strength of the personalised budget model is the enhanced autonomy and flexibility it offers. Individuals’ can select services that are most relevant and meaningful to them, defining the quality, scope, and delivery of their supports.
To test the delivery of personalised budgets in an Irish context, the Personalised Budget Demonstrator Pilot was established in 2019, on a cost-neutral basis.
In May 2025, the Demonstrator Pilot commenced its evaluation phase which is expected to conclude shortly. Led by the National Disability Authority, the evaluation will provide critical insights into the barriers and facilitators to rolling out personalised budgets on a larger scale and will therefore inform next steps towards the development of an effective model of personalised budgets model in Ireland.
