Minister Rabbitte has welcomed an additional €195m will be invested in Disability Services for 2024, bringing total investment to €2.8bn.
Funding will be directed towards the enhancement of person-centred supports and services, supporting the progressive rollout of the Action Plan for Disability Services and the Roadmap for Children’s Disability Services.
The Disability Services Budget in 2024 will include:
- €20.5m in extra funding for disability residential services for adults and children to deliver approximately 100 new residential places
- €10m in respite services to build on existing provision, to provide more alternative respite such as in homes, after-school and deliver new or enhanced services to families
- €8.5m to improve children’s services including the recruitment of additional therapy positions, increasing third level places and supports for specialist children’s disability services
- €18.2m for placements in adult day services for 1,250-1400 young people leaving school in 2024 and €23.7m in funding to provide for the full cost of school leavers in 2023
- €2m additional funding in Personal Assistant services to promote independent living, delivering around 80,000 additional hours, continued investment in Home Support services, and €1.4m for specialist community supports for people with neurological impairments
- In addition, Capital investment of €23.7m will provide for the upgrade and development of disability services
The allocation for 2024 will also drive a broader programme of work in Disability Equality Policy.
A dedicated budget will support the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCPRD).
In particular, we will develop and implement an ambitious new National Disability Strategy and the Autism Innovation Strategy.
Funding will support important initiatives under the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund, including ring-fenced support for Disabled Persons Organisations, and employment supports for persons with disabilities through the Towards Work and Employers for Change Initiatives, as well as enhanced stakeholder engagement.
Minister Rabbitte commented,
I am fully committed to the continuous advancement of rights under the UNCRPD and to improving the range of disability services available to both children and adults. This year’s allocation demonstrates the Government’s strong commitment to building capacity in this area.
This funding will provide greater investment in a range of service areas such as residential, respite, children’s services, day services, PA, Home Support and neurological community services.
It will also provide for a further iteration of important inclusion measures under the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund, including funding for Disabled Persons Organisations (DPOs), and support the development of the next National Disability Strategy and Autism Innovation Strategy.
I will be working closely with my ministerial colleagues, the HSE, voluntary providers and DPOs to ensure this funding has a substantial impact in 2024.
I will continue in 2024 to do the very best I can for people with disabilities and their families, to provide intervention and care when it is needed and to progressively deliver tangible improvements to the lives of people with disabilities.
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