Disability Services

71. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures she is taking to increase residential places for adults with intellectual disabilities in County Meath; and the number of new residential places planned for 2026 and 2027. [64790/26]

I will put the question and raise an issue with the Minister. I wanted to ask her about the measures she is taking to increase residential places for adults with intellectual disabilities in County Meath and the number of new residential places planned for 2026 and 2027. Along with a number of colleagues, including Deputy Guirke, I met a number of residential providers, including Clann Mór in Navan, County Meath. It has proposals at an advanced stage in relation to providing additional residential places. It, among others, needs support to do that. I implore the Minister to make that happen as quickly as possible.

Reply not given on the floor of the House The Department of Children, Disability and Equality continues to engage with the HSE, to expand and develop residential services for people with disabilities. Engagement is also ongoing to improve the process for service users and families to access these residential services. HSE Louth Meath disability services advises that it is fully committed to supporting the expansion of residential services for adults with intellectual disabilities, physical and sensory disabilities and autism. The HSE advises that in recent years, priority 1 placements have represented a significant proportion of residential activity however for 2026 and onwards, the objective, were possible is a reduction in placements provided on an individual emergency basis, with a move towards commissioning placements on a planned basis, prioritising whole house solutions such as four-bed houses, rather than sourcing individual placements. The aim is to commission placements within the region where possible while working with service providers and on housing solutions to reduce the reliance on emergency and out-of-area arrangements. HSE confirms that significant progress is being made in County Meath to expand capacity and meet growing demand for planned residential placements. This year, a number of new planned residential placements have already been successfully secured and allocated to individuals across County Meath. HSE Louth Meath disability services is actively working with service providers and HSE National Disability Services to develop further placements. HSE Louth Meath disability services is strategically planning for sustainable long-term growth and is currently collaborating with service providers and HSE national disability services to plan for further planned residential placements in 2027. Budget 2026 provided approximately €3.9 billion to specialist disability services with specialist disability residential services making up the largest part of the disability funding disbursed by the HSE, almost 60% - €2.2 billion - of the total budget. Some €65million 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 new residential responses. This includes 152 newly created residential placements consisting of 72 planned placements and 80 - priority 1 - new placements to meet urgent need, as outlined in the HSE's national service plan for 2026. Funding has also been provided for other residential responses: to facilitate necessary enhancements which enables the uptake of vacant residential places by new individuals and also the additional funding required for individuals already in an existing placement, whose needs have become more complex. In limited circumstances, placements may be funded in nursing home settings. The 2026 national service plan includes details of a move towards a more planned and responsive system of service provision with progress reflected in key performance indicators, KPIs, to ensure transparency and accountability in meeting service needs. The aim of the planned places funded in 2026 is to assist the HSE to move away from the practice of procuring high-cost individualised unplanned placements with commercial for-profit providers and allow for planning residential placements on a group basis with both commercial for-profit and not-for-profit providers. Work is under way in the HSE on building the capacity of section 38 and 39 providers, to deliver more residential services. Regarding future funding, consideration of specialist disability services and funding requirements occurs annually as part of the Estimates process. Engagement is currently ongoing between the Department of Children, Disability and Equality and the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation in respect of funding for 2027. Further to the work outlined above, 2026 is the first of a five-year capital investment plan out to 2030, supported by €278 million in funding secured through the national development plan. The HSE are currently working on drafting a disability specific multi-annual capital plan which will strategically plan for the current and future disability capital needs across the 4 pillars: specialist residential care, residential respite, day services and assessment and multi-disciplinary teams, as well as infrastructure risks and climate action out to 2030. Earlier this year, €43 million in capital investment was announced for much needed disability services in 2026, the first year of the national development plan. This represents a substantial increase in investment when compared with capital expenditure of previous years; €27 million in 2025, €23 million in 2024, €15 million in 2023 and €5.2 million in 2022. The growth over the last number of years, and the capital secured under the national development plan demonstrates the Government’s firm commitment to support and expand disability services.