Hildegarde Naughton
Galway West · Fine Gael · Ireland
“It is an absolute commitment in the programme for Government to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio over the lifetime of the Government. The Deputy will appreciate I cannot announce anything here in the Dáil. I have to go into negotiations in relation to the upcoming budget.”
“Where we can, we give guidance and I know schools are very well aware of this. They do this well themselves so that where possible, the more junior classes would have a lower class size.”
“The identification model has to be applied consistently right across the country to have fairness and transparency around it. Under the DEIS strategy to 2035, work is under way in my Department, with colleagues in the Central Statistics Office and across other Departments, to utilise other administrative data sources to help improve how w…”
“The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application under the additional school accommodation, ASA, scheme for an additional temporary classroom in 2025. This school had previously been approved for a permanent extension under the ASA scheme in 2021 for a two-classroom special education needs unit and one mainstream classroom.”
“A huge amount of work is being done on securing specialist places, be it in special classes or special schools. We are far ahead of where we were this time last year. We had a budget for 400 special classes. I got increased funding in March of this year. We are ahead in relation to forward planning.”
“The general average of pupils to teachers in the primary staffing schedule improved from 26:1 five years ago to 23:1 for the current school year. Average class sizes in primary schools have improved from 24.1 to 22.2 through the investment we are making in schools.”
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“We must act collectively to protect and promote LGBTQI+ people's equality and rights, in the knowledge and understanding that all human rights should be upheld together. The lessons of the marriage equality campaign should reignite our commitment to work together collaboratively, in solidarity, to counter these pushbacks. The passage of the marriage equality referendum a decade ago demonstrated that societal change can occur without societal upheaval. In fact, in the days and years since the referendum, I believe Ireland has become a more accepting and welcoming place than before. We must ensure this vision endures and that Ireland continues to be seen as a symbol of equality, democracy, and inclusion. Our commitment to equality must remain steadfast.”
“Ireland showed the world what can be done when a nation comes together and shows compassion and understanding for our fellow citizens. It was not only a legal victory, but also a cultural one. It told the world who we are and what we stand for. That, in this small island, one shaped by silence and shame, there was now space for inclusion, love, and pride. That moment ten years ago sparked momentous social transformation in our country. Ireland is increasingly seen as an emblem of equality, democracy, and inclusion; a country with a proud record as a champion of human rights and we must not lose sight of this vision. We see attempts globally to roll back on hard-won progress, endangering the rights and the lives of LGBTQI+ people.”
“Couples in committed relationships were still denied the recognition and rights that others took for granted, and so the call for marriage equality grew louder, led by brave campaigners, community organisations, families and individuals who shared their stories and truths. The referendum campaign was unlike any we had seen before. It was deeply personal, deeply emotional, and grounded in hope. We all remember the faces, the voices, and the energy of that campaign, the posters in windows, the queues at airports as people flew home to vote, and the conversations on doorsteps and around kitchen tables. It was a national movement built on empathy and driven by a belief in fairness. So, on that day in May, ten years ago, Ireland responded with extraordinary unity.”
“I am particularly conscious as I stand in this Chamber of the work of those Oireachtas Members who did so much to pave the way for equality for LGBTQI+ people in our country. As previously mentioned, homosexuality was decriminalised here in 1993 following a long and difficult legal battle led by Senator David Norris and others. In 2006, the High Court case of Katherine Zappone and the late Ann Louise Gilligan, who sought to have their Canadian marriage recognised in Ireland, was one of the first major events in the debate on the recognition of same-sex marriage in Ireland. In 2010, the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 marked a further step forward, but it fell short of full equality, and crucially, it did not provide provisions for children of same-sex couples.”
“This year, more than 12,000 participants marched in the parade from across more than 280 different organisations. Pride events take place across the country and play a vital role in providing LGBTQI+ people in Ireland with a platform to be visible. It fosters a sense of community and belonging, particularly for those in rural areas or conservative communities. Pride events are important because they celebrate and reflect on the progress made. They support those who are still struggling and they push for LGBTQI+ equality and inclusion in all facets of our society. We should remember that the referendum came at the end of a long and difficult journey. For decades, LGBTQI+ people in Ireland were unseen, marginalised and criminalised. For far too long, the State failed to protect its LGBTQI+ citizens.”
“We note that progress has been made but we cannot pretend that everything is as it should be. As mentioned in the opening remarks of the Minister, Deputy Norma Foley, this year marks a hugely important milestone for both the LGBTQI+ community and Irish history, which is the tenth anniversary of the marriage equality referendum. The referendum was not only a critical step along the way to achieving equality for our LGBTQI+ citizens but one which embodied the type of country so many of us wanted to be part of: a kind, understanding and progressive country which values all of its citizens equally. Dublin Pride is now one of the biggest annual events in the country. It has become a vital part of our social landscape and is a measure of how far Ireland has come in progressing LGBTQI+ visibility.”
“Thankfully, Irish society has moved on, but things are not yet where they should be. Just last weekend, thousands attended the annual trans and intersex Pride march through Dublin city centre to highlight concerns affecting their community. As noted in The Irish Times , an Indian member of Queer Asian Pride Ireland who addressed the crowd but did not wish to be identified, said: every single day for trans people it's so, so difficult to live our daily lives whether in university, at workplaces, in hospital, wherever it is. We have been spat at, yelled at. I have been egged. I have been mocked so many times, just walking on the street. I am visibly queer and visibly trans and you see the colour of my skin and I can't tell you where the hate is coming from whether it is transphobia, homophobia or whether it is racism.”
“I thank everyone who contributed to this important discussion. It seems astonishing that it was not until 1993 and the passing of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993 that homosexuality was decriminalised in Ireland. Prior to that, people across the country risked prison for simply being themselves. Attitudes towards individuals and couples who did not fit conventional stereotypes were hostile and indeed the first Pride parade only took place in 1983. It was not the affirming and positive event that we know it is today. That parade saw some 400 people march from Liberty Hall to Fairview Park in Dublin to highlight violence against members of their community, including 31-year-old Declan Flynn, who died following a homophobic attack in Fairview Park the previous September.”
“I look forward to hearing from the HSE on the outcome of that feasibility review as soon as it is completed and we will seek support then for the introduction of services to this location. I look forward to working with the Senator on that.”
“I thank the Senator again for raising this issue. I am keen to ensure all opportunities are explored in regard to the Toghermore campus and that the services are provided for the benefit of the locals and the surrounding communities. I reiterate this Government's commitment to delivering real and tangible solutions to enhance services and to better support the needs of adults and children with additional needs in Ireland as outlined in the commitments contained in our programme for Government. We have made significant funding commitments which has seen an overall HSE disability budget increase in 2025, which is a growth of €3.2 billion. That equates to an 11.5% increase on the previous year.”
“Any capital project is required to go through the normal capital approvals as per HSE processes and in line with the national infrastructure guidelines. My understanding is that Toghermore is at the very early stages of this process and a formal capital submission has not been made to HSE capital and estates. When that submission is made, it will be considered for approval and subsequent inclusion in the list of capital projects being progressed under the capital plan. I firmly believe it is important for the people of Galway that this review is done properly and promptly to ensure that we can provide the best possible services to the people of the area, now and into the future.”
“HSE officials have advised me they are engaging with the relevant stakeholders, including Galway County Council, on this matter. A meeting was held with the HSE and Galway County Council on 4 June last and a follow-up meeting is provisionally scheduled for this September, where an update will be provided to the local authority. Pending the outcome of this review, the HSE continues to utilise the facilities on the grounds at Toghermore House for a number of services, including the national counselling service, mental health services, quality and risk, paediatric outpatient, HR and administration support. The HSE officials have confirmed to me that the HSE has not made a final decision on the use of the lands at present. I am aware that the development of a national equine assisted therapy centre at the site has been proposed.”
“I thank Senator Rabbitte for raising this issue and offering me the opportunity to respond. The Government is fully committed to supporting efforts to ensure the necessary supports for people with disabilities, along with their families, and to ensuring they are provided in a timely manner, not just in our home county of Galway but right across the country. As the Senator is aware, the Toghermore site in Tuam, which is owned and operated by the HSE, is currently under review by the HSE under a direction issued in May 2024 by the Senator herself in her capacity as the then Minister of State with responsibility for disability. The review is examining the current use of the campus which will inform future health planning needs and what the campus may be required for.”
“I thank both Deputies. I am looking forward to my visit to An Síol tomorrow morning and to seeing the Deputy there. I know they are doing fantastic work there on the ground. I am visiting these services throughout the country. When I am in these services, I meet people who have acquired brain injuries. I see the results of road traffic accidents and the importance of these facilities on the ground within communities. It is great to be in this position. I am honoured to be and to be able to fund such services that do fantastic work. I will take on board comments from Deputies.”
“This is a new structure being rolled out. It has taken the team a little time to set up the structures. The funding was in place and they are now rolling out those teams across the country. We will complete the national roll-out of the HSE community neuro-rehabilitation teams. We will develop more regional inpatient rehabilitation beds as well, implement community-based, multidisciplinary rehabilitation services in every regional health area, and increase the number of neurology nurse specialists and consultant neurologists. I look forward to working with the Deputy and keeping him up to date on the roll-out.”
“As outlined in the 2025 national service plan, the HSE is committed to developing community neuro-rehabilitation teams in line with the implementation framework and enhancing capacity for its implementation nationally. A care pathway has to be integrated to make sure people are getting these services as close to home as possible. That is the basis of the Deputy's question.”
“As part of the strategy, the HSE is in the process of expanding the number of community neuro-rehabilitation teams across the country. The current position is that four new teams have been recruited and will be operational this year. A further two partial teams are in place that predate the strategy. There is currently no community neuro-rehabilitation team, CNRT, operational in HSE Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary South, Waterford-Wexford, HSE Midlands or HSE Dublin and North East. Moving forward with the neuro-rehabilitation strategy, the aim is to enhance the existing CNRTs, fund those areas that do not have a CNRT and create a large population-based CNRT within each regional health area following the implementation of the new regional health areas under Sláintecare. Additional funding will be a matter for the annual budgetary process.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. The overarching aim of the neuro-rehabilitation strategy is the development of neuro-rehabilitation services to improve patient outcomes by providing safe, high-quality, person-centred neuro-rehabilitation at the lowest appropriate level of complexity. It straddles acute hospitals and primary care as well as specialist community-based disability services. The past few years have seen consistent funding being provided to advance the roll-out of the neuro-rehabilitation strategy. The Department of Children, Disability and Equality as well as the Department of Health, aim to continue this important work to ensure there is a fully integrated service available to those people who need it.”
“It is all about that lived experience. If we are going to get this right, it is about listening to them. I will come back to the Deputy on the timelines that he asked about.”
“There has been, and there will continue to be, robust consultation with all the key stakeholders, disability groups and DPOs. To give the Deputy an example of our track record on that, for this disability strategy we had extensive public consultation, which concluded last year. That included 34 focus groups and almost 500 responses to a national questionnaire. We had town hall events in Dublin, Cork, Galway and online feeding into this disability strategy. The consultation has continued on an alternative basis with key stakeholder groups, including DPOs and disability service providers, as well as across government. This engagement has supported the development of an ambitious strategy that will advance the implementation of the UNCRPD and ensure that disabled people are supported to live full lives of their own choosing.”
“There needs to be an action plan. A cross-government implementation team will be put in place. This will not just included myself and the Minister in the Department of disability. Every single Department and every Cabinet Minister will play their role, while making sure that we achieve that step change to ensure people with disabilities live independent lives.”
“I will answer the Deputy's last question first. Housing and disability are absolute priority for the Government. We all know knocking on the doors in the general election campaign the importance of disability right across the sector. Last week, I attended the United Nations disability conference in New York. The Irish delegation travelled with leading disability groups from Ireland who have directly fed into this national disability strategy. Once this strategy is published - and the timeline for that will be before the summer recess - this will be a living document. That is not the end of it. We will constantly be adapting and making sure that we are getting our policy right by listening to those with the lived experience. It is not just about publishing a strategy, as the Deputy said; it is about implementing it.”
“The publication of the next national disability strategy will be the next milestone in Ireland's UNCRPD journey. That provides a whole-of-government framework for the advancement of rights. It will be ambitious. It will take action across a range of thematic pillars taken collectively that will capture the issues that most affect disabled people in their day-to-day lives, including education, employment, independent living, health and transport. It is codesigned with disabled people and their representative organisations. The strategy will provide a framework for sustaining and building on this progress and ensuring that disabled people are empowered to live full lives of their own choosing”
“In advance of the strategy, work continues unabated across government to advance implementation, with achievements including: increases in funding for disability services, including €3.2 billion in budget 2025 for HSE disability services; the ratification of the optional protocol to the UNCRPD; the publication of the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026; publication of the autism innovation strategy; the commencement in 2023 of the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act 2015, as amended, which establishes a modern legal framework to support decision-making by adults who may have difficulty making decisions without help; the introduction of key programmes like the work and access scheme to support disabled people in accessing employment; and the publication of the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022-2027.”
“Ireland ratified the UNCRPD in 2018. Since ratification, Ireland's approach has been to ensure cumulative advancements over time. The programme for Government commits to delivering a new national disability strategy that will provide an overarching framework for advancing the State’s obligations under the UNCRPD.”
“That is why this national disability strategy that we are working on will include areas such as this regarding transitions from school into the workplace and day centres and how we can support people to be able to live independently in their own homes, to get a job and to make their own personal choices. I take on board the issues the Deputies raised regarding timely assessments. I will be following up on that.”
“Both Deputies have raised important points. For example, when somebody is leaving the school setting, there needs to be a transition. We are doing work in that regard. The person-centred plan has been developed with each person, his or her family and his or her support person, looking at ensuring that this person with a disability is making informed choices about what he or she wants to do, be it a job, training or a day service. A few weeks ago, the Ministers, Deputies Foley and Calleary, and I launched the wage subsidy scheme, which incentivises employers to employ people with disabilities. Sometimes that is the obstacle. At other times, the obstacle is the transport for the person to get to the job and the job is not the issue.”
“On 29 May 2024, the HSE launched a suite of person-centred plan resources for people with disabilities, their families and service providers. That was a good learning module. It is something we want to do, but we need the data to forward plan and to know. We need a mapping exercise across the country regarding the facilities within the Deputy's county and my county in order that people know where they can go for day or residential care. We have to look toward independent living.”
“As the Deputy was speaking, I was reminded of people in a similar situation who have come into my constituency office. Often they are parents who have a grown-up adult child. Their question is what will happen to their child when the parents pass away. We cannot always answer those questions, but they will be looked after. It is all about this forward planning and having the data. As the Deputy knows, we are working on a national disability strategy, which will be published over the coming weeks. These are the questions I want us to be able to answer during the term of this Government and to set out a vision regarding these services, to make sure that families and people with disabilities know where they are going and have that person-centred plan in place.”
“Where persons lack decision-making capacity and require decision-making supports to meet their ongoing needs, they can seek to put in place a decision support arrangement under the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015. The HSE has prepared a suite of person-centred plan resources for people with a disability, their families and service providers across adult disability services. I am not sure if that is what the Deputy specifically referred to, but that is the recent Act.”
“Where a person’s capacity to make a particular decision is in question, or may shortly be in question, their capacity is assessed specifically regarding that decision. This is known as a functional capacity assessment, whereby capacity is assessed on an issue- and time-specific basis. A person may lack capacity to make one decision but have capacity to make another decision. All practicable steps must be taken to help the relevant person whose capacity is being called into question to make their own decisions, and the relevant person’s capacity to make a specific decision must only be assessed if they are still unable to make the decision after such supports have been provided. Service providers must work to enable a person to make their decision through the use of supports appropriate to their capacity to make that decision.”
“I thank the Deputy. On 26 April 2023, the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, along with most of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act 2022, were commenced, replacing the wards of court system. That Act places individuals at the centre of decisions that affect them and provides for the necessary supports to enable persons with capacity difficulties to retain control over their own affairs and the decisions that affect them. One of the principles of the Act is that a person is presumed to have capacity to make a decision unless it is shown otherwise. A third party, such as a parent or other family member, does not have an automatic entitlement to be involved.”
“The programme has been up and running since the Minister and I were in the Department of education. We want to roll this out. It is all about making sure that children and adults have access to therapists. We know there is big demand. We are lucky to have full employment in the country. With that comes these issues. Absolutely everything is being thrown at this. If Deputy Lawless has suggestions on what we can do, my door is open.”
“I assure Deputy Lawless that absolutely everything is being done. What is happening now is what I have just listed out. We also have domestic and international recruitment drives happening all the time, as we speak. We also have an expedited CORU registration process from this year. This is specifically for people who may have trained abroad and want to come here to work. We want to expedite this process. It has already been expedited. We are looking at absolutely everything. If there are particular cases, and Deputy Lawless is aware of particular people who are having issues with coming home or registering, my door is open. I absolutely assure him from a Government point of view there is a Cabinet committee that meets very regularly on recruitment drives and higher education. In-school therapists will be in place in September.”
“This funding focuses on recruiting various positions in CDNTs, including 20 senior therapists, 20 staff grade posts, 20 health and social care assistant posts and 15 clinical training posts. Measures are also being taken to assist with sustainably addressing the backlog in the assessment of needs.”
“We are doing a number of things in recruitment and retention. We have bursaries in place. We are opening up HSE panels. We have HSE advertising streams. We also have a number of fairs, including one in May where one of the top priorities was to recruit people and to introduce people to social care therapists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists. We have 150 extra therapists going through our third level institutions and there will be more again this year. We are looking at therapy assistants. We have therapists going into our special schools. We also have incentives for therapists to work in our CDNTs. We have more than €10 million in funding. Additional funding has been made available by the Government for children's services.”
“The Department is working with the HSE to introduce specific recruitment and retention incentives for therapists to work in CDNTs, including a sponsorship initiative and facilitating direct access for funded agencies to existing professional panels.”
“A key part of this work has been the improvement of access to services through the CDNTs. They are providing supports and services to more than 43,000 children. I fully acknowledge that there is still a lot more to do. Recruitment and retention of health and social care professionals is the most significant challenge and work is ongoing to increase staffing levels. The HSE has advised that the most recent CDNT workforce survey available was conducted in April. This survey demonstrates an overall national increase of an additional 8% in staffing in CDNTs, compared with the workforce at the review in October 2024. This brings the total number of whole-time equivalents to 2,009.”
“The Government recognises the importance of early intervention for children with disabilities and ensuring they receive the right services at the right time. Under the programme for Government, we are committed to ensuring children and their families who need early intervention and therapy input can access it in a timely way. The key vehicle for change and improvement is the roadmap for service improvement for disability services for children and young people. The implementation of this roadmap is well under way and will continue until 2026. The roadmap contains an important set of actions that, collectively, will enhance children’s disability services in Ireland. They include significant measures to integrate and improve access to services, expand the workforce and advance better communication and engagement with families.”
“There is a huge drive to encourage more people to get into this area. We also need to examine other Departments which are drawing on the assessment of need process where they do not need to and it is not required.”
“Regional assessment hubs are being rolled out. We had a meeting with the CEO of the HSE, Bernard Gloster, on that. I can get updated information for the Deputy on that. My understanding is that they are starting to be rolled out. That will help to reduce waiting lists. We have also worked with the HSE to seek to introduce specific recruitment and retention initiatives for therapists to work in CDNTs, along with a CDNT sponsorship programme with bursaries for fourth year and postgraduate students, linked to the acceptance of a traditional job offers. There have been recruitment fairs, including one in May where one of the focus areas was on therapies and therapists. We are going into secondary schools around the country to encourage people to work in social care and talking about the value of working in these areas.”
“We are examining what we can do in regard to therapy assistants to try to assist therapists in getting clinical placements within CDNTs. The Minister for education is ramping up in-school therapies in our special schools. My door is open. If there are other suggestions from the Deputy, I would welcome them.”
“I do not have a breakdown of the numbers of children who have gone through the process but there has been a 65% increase in assessments in the first three months compared with the same period last year. Even with that said, we know we have a lot more work to do to get through that. I might not have said it earlier, but we absolutely acknowledge people’s statutory right to have access to an assessment of need process. What we want to do here is make sure we have the pipeline of therapists coming through. We are relying on the private sector too and we allocated in budget 2025. Those private assessments are being carried out this year. I can get the exact figure. It is approximately 2,800 this year but I will come back to the Deputy to confirm that.”
“This has been achieved by a number of measures, including the assessment of need waiting list initiative agreed by the Government, which targets those families waiting longest for an assessment of need with funding provided for the procurement of assessments from approved private providers. As I said earlier in reply to the Deputy’s colleague, regional assessment hubs are being rolled out by the HSE. They are aligned with the six new HSE regions. We are also reviewing potential legislative changes in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General to support the effectiveness and efficiency of the assessment of need process.”
“The HSE advises that in 2024 it received more than 10,000 assessment of need applications, which is more than double the 4,700 applications received in 2020. The most recent data from the HSE show that at the end of March over 15,000 assessment of needs were overdue for completion. To address this, the HSE is working to increase its capacity to deliver assessment of need. Over the past year, there has been an improvement in the number of assessments of need completed, with an increase of 30% in 2024 compared to 2023. Recent HSE data show that this trend is continuing this year with a 65% increase in completed assessments of need in the first three months of the year compared to the same period last year.”
“As I have said, the Government absolutely recognises that waiting times for assessment of need are far too long and we are committed to reforming the assessment of need process. Both this Department and the HSE have been working intensively to progress measures to address these waiting times. I want to emphasise again to parents that while children have a right to apply for the assessment of need, they do not need one to access health services, including those provided by primary care, CDNTs or mental health services. Demand for assessments of need, as we all acknowledge, has increased significantly in recent years, which is a reflection of both the increase in population and an increase in the number of families exploring all options to ensure their children receive appropriate services.”
“We want to increase that number every year. The Minister for higher education, Deputy Lawless, is working very hard on that. This is a real concerted effort by the Government to ensure that children and adults have access to the therapies they need. I cannot give the Deputy a definitive timeline but I assure him we are working really hard to try to ensure children get access to these therapies.”
“To answer the last question first, ensuring that children have access to the therapies they need is absolutely my priority and our priority as a Government. It is for that reason that my colleague the Minister, Deputy McEntee is continuing the work that myself and the Minister, Deputy Foley did when we were in the Department of Education on special education with in-school speech and language therapists and occupational therapists going in to our special schools. That will also alleviate the demand for these therapies across the country. We are also looking at increasing the clinical placements in CDNTs and developing that pipeline of initiatives to ensure we retain and attract more therapists. In our third level institutions 150 extra speech and language and occupational therapist places were provided from last September.”
“If that requires legislative change, that is something we will look at but we are also doing domestic and international recruitment, incentives for retention, recruitment drives within the CDNTs and going into secondary schools and promoting the value of working within CDNTs and in these positions across the country.”
“A number of things are happening here. There is an increased demand for assessments of need. We are all very aware of the reasons for that. For many, it is about getting access to services as well as wanting to know about a disability and getting a diagnosis. All these form part of the demands on the system. The Deputy will know we are doing work through a Cabinet committee on disability. We have been meeting very frequently to examine the assessment of need process. We are rolling out regional assessment hubs across all the regional health areas across the country to get through these waiting lists but this is not just about reducing waiting lists. This is about ensuring that children and adults are getting access to the therapies they require. That is very much at the forefront of my mind.”