2026-02-18

I acknowledge the presence of my colleague, an Teachta Robert O'Donoghue. Along with our constituency colleague, Deputy Boland, we have been working with a number of groups in our area to try to secure long-term housing solutions for persons with disabilities. This morning, I want to focus specifically on one service. It is an organisation known as Remember Us. I will not try to tell the Minister of State what my view of Remember Us is but I will tell him in her own words what the founder, Nora Roban says. When she was asked why Remember Us, a club for children and adults with special needs, was set up, she said: The answer is simple. My son Paul has special needs. It is absolutely vital for people with special needs to develop their social skills and self-esteem early in life, to help integrate into society. I instinctively knew that without developing this side of his life he would always feel inadequate and isolated from society. This would inevitably lead to even greater problems as he got older. After years of searching and failing to find such a place, I decided to set up Remember Us, for Paul and for other children like him. The key here is about integration and that feeling of not being isolated. I know that there are clubs like Remember Us and services like those of Prosper Fingal across the State. They are working really hard to provide services. However, we attended a meeting just before Christmas in the building that Nora runs Remember Us out of. We met with parents there. They all had one concern. This will not be new to the Minister of State and I thank him for being here this morning to take the Topical Issue. They all had one concern. That concern is around what will happen to their loved ones, their adult children, when their parents are no longer able to care for them. We are talking about people who are in their 60s, 70s and in some cases in their 80s and older, who are absolutely terrified at the prospect of their loved ones having to go into a nursing home. I think we can all agree that a nursing home is not an appropriate place for a person. A nursing home is a place for an elderly person, not a person with disabilities, intellectual or physical disabilities. I, like others, was somewhat shocked when I read Fergus Finlay's column when he wrote that he had seen a letter that had come from the HSE. It advised a parent that they are legally obliged to support their daughter, and that includes the provision of accommodation - accommodation that will go on after the parent has died. It is not within the gift of parents to provide that. What I am asking the Minister of State to do this morning is to perhaps outline for me what kind of joined-up thinking is happening. There is nothing more certain than these young people becoming young adults and older people. There is nothing more certain than that their parents and loved ones will not be in a position to care for them. That is why the organisation Before We Die has been set up. Some work is going on. I know Remember Us has ambitious plans in terms of establishing a small community of appropriately sized houses but it goes back to the foundation and the reason Remember Us was founded. It is about inclusion. It is about people with disabilities being in their own community, with their friends and in an environment that they are familiar with. It is about ensuring they have that level of support.

Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an Teachta as ucht an t-ábhar seo. Increasing the provision of disability specialist residential services is a key Government priority and there has been significant investment in residential services over the course of the last number of years. The overall budget increase in recent years, from €1.7 billion at the close of 2017 to almost to €3.8 billion in 2026, reflects the programme for Government commitment to investing in improving the lives of people with disabilities. In addition to the ongoing funding and lifetime commitment to residential placements for almost 9,000 current residents, €65 million has been allocated to disability residential services in budget 2026 for new developments. That includes €40 million of funding that will provide in the region of 199 residential placements. This includes 72 new planned placements and 80 new unplanned urgent placements, a total of 152 new placements, as outlined in the service plan for 2026. From 2020 to 2025, 955 new residential places were provided to people with disabilities, which has undoubtedly had an impact in Dublin Fingal West. During 2025 alone, HSE Dublin and north east, which includes the Deputy’s constituency in north Dublin, provided 2,046 residential places for people with a disability, including the addition of 55 new placements. The Government acknowledges that there is significant demand for specialist disability services across all regional health areas nationally. The increased demographics of people living with a disability, coupled with increases in life expectancy and changing needs, have all had a significant impact. In addressing these challenges – and, of course, opportunities, given that increasing life expectancy is an opportunity rather than a challenge - the Department of Children, Disability and Equality is engaging with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, housing authorities and the HSE to explore means of responding to the need for additional capacity, which can assist forward planning and cost-effective placements. The national housing strategy 2022 to 2027 places responsibility for the provision of housing with the Department of housing, working in conjunction with the HSE to provide supports related to individual care needs. The HSE and local authorities are working together to map the need and develop and advance plans for delivering housing to people with disabilities. Local housing and disability steering groups and regional forums have been established to progress the implementation of the national housing strategy for disabled people and these forums facilitate collaborative working between local authorities, the HSE, approved housing bodies, AHBs, and voluntary service providers. The Department of Children, Disability and Equality continues to engage with the HSE to explore various ways of responding to demand while appropriately managing the significant levels of funding provided. Dedicated housing co-ordinators have been appointed to assist with placement planning and identifying housing options for people with all levels of disability. I am informed that HSE Dublin and north east provides and funds a range of services and supports for people with disabilities, including those residing in Dublin Fingal West. Supports include day services, respite services, residential services, home support and personal assistance. I assure the Deputy that HSE Dublin and north east continuously works to improve the availability of supports to individuals in the area, including the residents of her constituency. I reiterate the importance of ensuring we continue to support people with disabilities to live meaningful and fulfilling lives, with a person-centred approach throughout the broad spectrum of services provided. I do not know if I should be declaring an interest because my wife is a nurse manager in this very area, Fingal. I do not know if I am meant to declare that or not.

That response was fairly disappointing, and I am saying that with as much respect as I can muster. The Minister of State stated, “From 2020 to 2025, 955 new residential places were provided to people with disabilities, which has undoubtedly had an impact in Dublin Fingal West.” It would have been nicer if he had got the figures and told me how many places relate to that constituency, if any. The question that was put was about community-based housing. It was not necessarily about residential care. There is a looming crisis, whether the Government acknowledges it or not, that relates to people who are ageing in the community. It is brilliant that people are living longer, thanks to the work of the Minister of State’s wife, her colleagues, the families and all the rest. People are living longer and that is a good thing, but they will outlive their parents. That is also a good thing, but their parents are concerned about what will happen to them. The Minister of State said dedicated housing co-ordinators have been appointed. In his response, he might explain exactly where they are based. A name and phone number would be brilliant, and while I would not ask him to put that on the record, he can tell me who the person is for my area of Dublin - or rather our area because an Teachta O’Donoghue is here too - Dublin Fingal West. Who is that person and how can they assist with the provision of long-term housing? Residential is extremely important, and if the Minister of State had the exact figure with him, I would be able to match that against the number of people on the waiting lists, but that is only one aspect of what is needed. Community-based housing means people can age and live in their community and be with their friends, which is so important to the families of Remember Us. They told us very clearly that that is where there needs to be some focus.

I will gladly ask the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, who cannot be here, to send that exact information to all the Deputies and representatives in Fingal. That is a reasonable request but I just do not have it to hand.

No, that is fair.

Once again, I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue, which is a priority for the Government. The Government recognises that there is more to do to improve the lived experience of those with a disability. The increase in the disability budget for 2026 further demonstrates the multiple commitments made in the programme for Government commitment to improving the lives of people with disabilities and making a difference. The ambition of this Government is to bring about a step change in services for people with a disability in Ireland and we are committed to the expansion and reform of disability services in order to maximise people’s independence and support them to live ordinary lives in ordinary places like everybody else does. This is reflected in the very significant investment being made in specialist services recently. In 2026, we are supporting another 199 residential supports for people with disabilities. While the strategy, policy direction and overall allocation are a matter for the Minister, funding allocations to regions and individual service providers at a local level is an operational matter for the HSE. The Department, in conjunction with the HSE, will always strive to ensure disability services are delivered in an equitable manner across all regional health areas as effectively as possible to ensure maximum benefit for those who require services. I assure the Deputy that this Government is aware of the challenges present across all regional health areas and that the Department is working alongside the HSE to address these challenges and increase the provision of services, including residential services of the various types that have been mentioned in this debate.