Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 March 2026
471. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the recommendations in the Disability Action Plan (2024-2026) in relation to the provision of 900 additional residential care places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17931/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Children, Disability and Equality, alongside the HSE, is continuing to work to increase provision in order to assist those who are most vulnerable in our society, and who urgently require services.
The Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026 sets out a three-year programme designed to tackle the deficits highlighted in the Disability Capacity Review to 2032.
The service improvements which are planned over the 2024-26 period include:
• Around 900 additional residential care places to tackle unmet needs and ensure supply keeps pace with demographic change;
• 500 new community-based residential care places to replace disability care in large institutional and campus-based settings, with a view to ending that form of provision by 2030;
The 2025 Programme for Government commits to developing a multi-year capital plan for investment in residential and independent living options for both adults and children, and to tackle 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 HSE, together with approximately 90 service providers are currently providing 8,911 residential places to people with disabilities.
From 2020 to 2025, 955 new residential places have been provided to people with disabilities. This includes 220 new places in 2024 and 246 new places provided in 2025.
As the Deputy may be aware, Budget 2026 provided funding of approximately €3.9 billion to Specialist Disability Services.
In addition to funding ongoing residential placements, €65 million has been allocated to Disability Residential Services in 2026 for new developments, which includes €40 million of funding that will provide in the region of 199 residential responses.
This includes 72 new planned placements and 80 new unplanned, urgent placements, a total of 152 new placements, as outlined in the HSE’s National Service Plan for 2026, which includes details of a move towards a more planned and responsive system of service provision and an increased emphasis on longer term planning for residential placements, with strengthened operational processes being put in place to respond to the current high demand. It also provides funding to support new residents in existing placements that have become vacant and require enhancement for complex medical conditions and in limited circumstances, placements in nursing home settings.
