Written Answers Nos. 132-144
139. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures her Department is taking to provide additional respite capacity in County Galway, in view of the increasing waiting lists for these services. [64899/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly.
141. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taken to deliver a reduction in childcare costs towards the Programme for Government's target of €200 per month per child. [65694/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraShaping the Future: The Early Years Action Plan, Phase 1 report (published last December) sets out measures to achieve key Programme for Government commitments on the affordability, quality, and accessibility of early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC). A central objective of Shaping the Future are to reduce parental fees to a maximum of €200 per month over the lifetime of the Government.
The Action Plan adopts a phased approach that enables action to be taken in 2026 while allowing adequate time for a broad public consultation and analysis on longer-term actions.
The consultation process, which has taken place throughout this year, has had a number of channels designed to facilitate the participation of a wide range of stakeholders. The final stage in the consultation will be a national forum on 23rd September, which will build on insights from surveys, local consultation events, and stakeholder engagement and will help inform future policy direction. Results of this consultation, and additional analysis, will inform Phase 2 of Shaping the Future.
Phase 2, which will be published later this year, will set out actions to be undertaken from 2027 through to the end of 2029.
A number of steps have already been taken in 2025 and 2026 to reduce the costs of ELC and SAC for parents. 2026 actions include further reduction in some of the highest fees paid by parents by lowering the maximum fees that Core Funding Partner Services can charge. These latest maximum fee caps, which apply to all Core Funding Partner Services, place a limit on the maximum fees that can be charged. Under the new maximum fee caps, the highest possible cost for a typical full day place of 45 hours per week has dropped from around €198 per week to €183.70 per week, with the universal subsidy under the National Childcare Scheme. Higher subsidies are available for many parents, depending on their level of income and the age and number of children in their family.
In addition, from September 2026, out of pocket costs for lower-income families have been reduced through changes to the National Childcare Scheme. These measures include:
- An increase to the lower (base) income threshold of the income-assessed subsidy from €26,000 to €34,000, to ensure that families with incomes below the relative income poverty line receive the maximum subsidies.
- An increase to the upper income threshold (income limit) of the income-assessed subsidy from €60,000 to €68,000, to extend income-assessed subsidies to more families.
- An increase to the multiple child deduction (MCD) component of the income-assessed subsidy for families with two children under the age of 15 from €4,300 to €5,500, and for families with three or more children under the age of 15 from €8,600 to €11,000.
In Budget 2027 I hope to build on these steps as we continue the journey towards the objective of reducing parental fees to a maximum of €200 per month.
144. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to outline measures to increase employment opportunities for those with learning disabilities. [65729/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI thank the Deputy for this question. Government is committed to increasing employment opportunities for disabled people, including people with learning disabilities. The National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, published in September 2025, sets out a whole of Government approach to disability over the next five years. It includes several commitments and priority actions to advance employment opportunities for disabled people.
While the Department of Children, Disability and Equality has overall responsibility for coordinating the Strategy across Government, the overarching whole-of-government approach ensures that delivery on the actions and commitments under the Strategy’s five pillars are being led by several Government departments and public bodies as befits their remits.
As a cornerstone pillar of the Strategy, the Employment Pillar contains a wide range of actions that will provide the right supports at the right time for disabled people to access work or return to work. Under this Pillar, the Department of Social Protection is leading on several actions that will enhance the employment supports available to disabled people and increase rates of labour market activation. Examples of priority actions here include expanding and building on the success of already existing programmes, including WorkAbility, Employability and Work and Access, and increasing the number of Dedicated Disability Employment Personal Advisors who can offer the appropriate level of support to disabled jobseekers.
Other actions are focusing on removing disincentives to employment and include reforming the Disability Allowance payment.
The First Programme Plan of Action 2025-2026, published in December 2025, sets out how the Strategy’s commitments and priority actions will be delivered by the lead Government departments and public bodies, including those under the Employment Pillar. The Plan of Action also includes the timeframe for delivery and the success indicators by which performance will be measured.
The first set of bi-annual reports outlining progress to date were reviewed by the Delivery and Monitoring Committee, chaired by the Taoiseach, on 16 July and were published on 22 July. The bi-annual reports highlighted some key developments in relation to progress under the Employment Pillar to date include the following:
• Eligibility for the Wage Subsidy Scheme was expanded to include people who acquire a disability and those on Invalidity Pension transferring to Partial Capacity Benefit. Rates were increased from April 2026 with the base rate increasing from €6.30 to €7.50.
• Updated Work and Access guidelines and forms were published in April 2026, with substantial changes following feedback from Disabled Persons’ Organisations, representative groups and employers.
• People leaving Disability Allowance and Blind Pension to work can now keep Fuel Allowance for up to five years, and if they have children, they are now eligible for the Back to Work Family Dividend.
• The process to fast-track returns to Disability Allowance if employment does not work out is being improved. Disability Allowance claims can now be made online. From October, people will be able to choose an online option to reinstate their claim.
• A review of means testing across all the Department’s schemes is nearing completion.
• As part of service delivery improvements, a Dedicated Disability Employment Personal Advisor is now located in each Intreo office nationwide (62 in total). These advisors proactively offer support to people on Disability Allowance and Blind Pension- accessing support is done on a voluntary basis, there is no obligation to engage.
• The Department of Social Protection is planning a publicity campaign to promote the employment of disabled people and the supports available, starting later this year. This is supported by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment.
• The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment’s Forum for the Employment of Disabled People had its first meeting in February 2026. The Forum successfully supported the department’s intention to provide a platform for discussion and engagement with employers. A second meeting of the Forum is being planned for later this year.
I look forward to continuing to work with colleagues in the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment in coordinating delivery on the commitments and priority actions under the Employment Pillar which, taken together, will increase the opportunities for disabled people to access and progress within employment, including people with intellectual disabilities.
