Emer Higgins

It is not opposed.

I thank Deputy O'Rourke for raising this really important issue and giving me the opportunity to discuss it on the floor of the House. The specialist disability budget supports a range of services funded through the HSE and delivered by section 38 and section 39 organisations, as well as the HSE. This includes, among other services and supports, day services and rehabilitative training for people …

The Deputy is right that it is important that not only should we provide access to high-quality day services right across the country, which we are, but we should also ensure that people can get there as easily as possible. I appreciate that and every effort is being made to ensure that local public transport links are provided. In Meath's situation, which is unique, there is a bespoke solution th…

I thank the Deputy for raising this question and providing me with an opportunity to speak on this matter. The Government is committed to supporting people with disabilities through the implementation of the UNCRPD. To further the work in this area the Department of Children, Disability and Equality has recently published the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030. This incl…

I thank the Deputy. While the chief inspector of social services within HIQA does not have the remit to look at the specific issue of an individual’s distance from their original home, where inspectors see that residents are away from their support network or having to travel extended distances to their family, work or school, it is addressed in inspection reports under regulation 9 on residents’ …

On data, I wish to be clear that the cost of care is completely dependent on the level of complexity and the support required. It is imperative to note that as a result, cost is not a reflection of performance and rather is indicative of individualised care needs. What is most important here is the person with the care need at the heart of this. The Deputy has the data on the average cost of resid…

I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to address this on the floor of the House. The delivery of an effective, efficient assessment of need system is a priority for the Government. There has been intensive work by the Department of Health and the HSE. Demand for assessments of need has increased significantly in recent years. Applications may be in excess of 11,000 this year compared wi…

I thank both Deputies. I was delighted to engage with the cross-party group on autism about this issue the day before yesterday. The direct question about the education plans was how the process will be formulated, and the answer is through consultation. The Department of Education and Youth has indicated to us that it is willing to explore how to get to a point where it can remove an assessment o…

I thank the Deputies. Can I be really clear? Last week's announcement was about children with disabilities who require therapies and that is exactly what we are setting out to achieve - the delivery of therapies regardless of children's disability. There is a six-pronged approach here. The heads of Bill have now been published. They will go through pre-legislative scrutiny at the Joint Committee o…

As Minister for State with special responsibility for disabilities, I am committed to delivering a step-change in supports and services for people with disabilities and their families, ensuring they are enabled to live full lives of their own choosing and on an equitable basis with everyone else in society. The Department has been working closely with the HSE to deliver on this ambition and improv…

Just to advise the Deputy that our Department and the HSE are currently auditing respite services to have better visibility and to be able to plan better and make decisions based on the need. It is our intention to increase both overnight and day respite next year throughout the country. That will be part if the HSE's national services statement and national services plan and we will be making the…

Just to clarify, the NCSE is under the remit of the Department of education rather than our Department. I know this is something the Minister of State with responsibility for special education and the Minister for education are looking at. Together with the NCSE, they had set a date of 1 October for applications. That was to be able to give the parents better clarity, better security and early de…

HSE Capital and Estates Dublin and North East and the disability services in the Cavan-Monaghan IHA service area have identified a premises for sale that is suitable for the purposes of renovation to develop a HSE respite centre for children. The purchase transaction has been approved and completed. The keys of the premises have been transferred to HSE Capital and Estates Dublin and North East. Th…

As the Deputy is aware, Rainbow Lodge is an interim children's respite centre. It came into operation on 1 October 2024. Retention of this respite centre service is contingent on future funding considerations. I take on board what the Deputy has said in relation to the new centre coming on board at the end of next year, and that there may perhaps be a gap. I take that feedback on board and will br…

The Deputy described a deficiency in respite care in Monaghan. I assure him that the Department and the HSE are currently auditing respite services to give us better visibility of the full picture regarding the provision but also, more importantly, the need. We have additional funding next year that we sought through budget negotiations. That will be part of the HSE's national services plan that i…

The Government absolutely recognises there are unacceptable delays in accessing assessments of need. My Department and the HSE are committed to addressing these delays. Under the Disability Act, an assessment of need is an assessment process carried out by the HSE where a person is of the opinion that he or she may have a disability for anyone born after 1 June 2002. It first establishes whether t…

That statistic that 45% of children who go through the assessment of need process receive a diagnosis of autism is absolutely correct. For that reason the HSE is standing up a new autism assessment and protocol process in order to be able to respond to emerging need in this area. We hope that from January, but definitely from the first quarter of next year, children who are displaying autistic tra…

Taking cognisance of the Chair I will give a short response. Our in-reach teams will support the HSE's new model and will work to ensure there is more joined-up thinking between primary care, CAMHS and our CDNTs. Each team will consist of a psychologist, a speech and language therapist, an occupational therapist and an administration person. Part of the reason we have an administration person is b…

It is a prop.

Before I deal with the Topical Issue, I wish a merry Christmas to Deputy O'Reilly and her family, as well as to the Ceann Comhairle, her team and everybody who keeps this place running day in and day out. I hope they all enjoy the break. I thank Deputy O’Reilly for raising this issue and for offering me the opportunity to speak about it on the floor of the House. The Government recognises that th…

I will. The reforms announced last week are basically a six-pronged approach. First is the statutory element and we published the heads of the Bill, which will go to the disability matters committee for pre-legislative scrutiny and for further consultation. That is aimed at standardising and streamlining the assessment of need process to make sure that every child, no matter where they are in the …

I move: That Dáil Éireann, noting that the Government, on 4th November, 2025, agreed to nominate Sam Erik Blanckensee, Cathryn Costello, Adam Harris, Rosaleen McDonagh, Patricia Munatsi-Mangwiza and Rose Wall for appointment by the President as members of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, recommends, pursuant to section 13(1)(b) of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act …

I move: That, notwithstanding anything in the Order of the Dáil of 5th February, 2025, setting out the rota in which Questions to members of the Government are to be asked, Questions for oral answer, following those set down to the Minister for Defence on 16th December, 2025, shall be set down to Ministers in the following temporary sequence: Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Minis…

I thank everybody for their contribution here this evening on this really important issue. It is something all of us are familiar with because we all work with families, individuals and children across the country who are affected by this. We all know vulnerable people, including children, who are clearly in need of State support and who unfortunately are left wanting. That is simply not acceptabl…

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time". I am pleased to introduce the Irish Film Board (Amendment) Bill 2025 to the House. It was initiated in the Seanad on 14 November and passed through the final Stages there on 26 November. I look forward to hearing Deputies' contributions and I hope they will support this Bill. Officials from the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport will…