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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“On foot of this application, modular accommodation comprising two special educational needs classrooms and one special educational tuition classroom was delivered in April of 2024. That is currently in place and operational. Modular accommodation provides a high-quality, modern learning environment that is both functional and adaptable, and it offers a well-designed comfortable space that effectively meets the school's current needs while allowing flexibility for future requirements. In July of last year, the Government announced a capital allocation of €7.55 billion for the Department of Education and Youth for the period 2026 to 2030 under the national development plan.”
“I thank Deputy McGreehan for her question. It gives me pleasure to have the opportunity to provide an update to the House on the current position in relation to accommodation at Monksland National School in County Louth. The school is a co-educational Catholic school under the patronage of the Archbishop of Armagh. It has an enrolment in 2025-2026 of 139 pupils, which includes pupils in the two special education classes that were established at the school in 2022. In line with the national decline in primary demographics, the enrolment at the school had decreased from 151 in 2023. At a national level, primary school enrolments are projected to decline by about 100,000 over a ten-year period. In 2022, the school submitted an application for additional accommodation at Monksland National School.”
“I will raise the specific issue the Deputy raised with the Minister. The information I have here in relation to the two schemes - the sheep and beef sectors - is that the Minister secured a further €50 million for those two national schemes in budget 2026. The Department has met with the farming organisations regarding those schemes. I will go back to the Minister and get him to come back to the Deputy directly to clarify the issue.”
“For example, a farmer with a 100-ewe flock doing all measures will receive a payment 44% higher than in 2024, that is, €1,150 compared with €800. The total allocation under these two national schemes is €50 million, and the Department will spend the €50 million on these vital supports for farmers in the coming months. The first of the payments, €16.44 million, under the 2025 national sheep welfare scheme payments was delivered last Monday to over 13,000 farmers. In addition, in the coming weeks, payments will commence under the CSP schemes, namely SCEP and SIS.”
“A farmer with 25 calves would have received €1,250 last year; in 2025 the same farmer will receive €1,675. That is 34% higher than in 2024. The national sheep welfare scheme has also proved popular beyond projections. The budget allocation in 2025 is €22 million, all of which will be spent. This is a significant increase on the €15 million in 2024. To deal with oversubscription under the 2025 scheme, the control mechanism is to pay for the voluntary action at €3.50, with no adjustment to the payment rate for mandatory actions. In practical terms this means that a farmer who applied for a voluntary action will receive €11.50 per ewe, a significant increase on the €8 per ewe payable under the equivalent 2024 national sheep welfare scheme.”
“However, because of the success of the scheme and resulting oversubscription, to stay within the budget allocation of €28 million and to ensure that all calves up to the maximum of 45 calves are included, a linear adjustment is being applied to the voluntary measures of vaccination, forage analysis and faecal egg count. No adjustment will be applied to the mandatory measure of meal feeding. What this means in practical terms is that the payment rate for a farmer who has applied for all three actions will be €67 per calf on up to 45 calves. In 2024 the payment was €50 per calf, with the maximum number of calves payable being 40. Therefore, the maximum payment in 2025 will be €3,015, a significant increase on the maximum payment of €2,000 in 2024.”
“Returning to the national schemes, the 2025 national beef welfare scheme has a budget allocation of €28 million, all of which will be spent, with payments commencing to cleared cases in early December 2025. The budget allocation is an €8 million, or 40%, increase on the equivalent scheme in 2024. The national beef welfare scheme attracted more farmers than in previous years and more calves will be paid on. This is a testament to the fact that the measures are practical, and farmers can see the clear benefit of participation.”
“I welcome the Deputy's question and the opportunity to set out the significant funding that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has delivered and continues to deliver in terms of payment schemes for the beef and sheep sectors. Payment schemes for the beef and sheep sector can be divided into two types. First, there are national schemes. In 2025 there are two such schemes supporting the beef and sheep sectors: the national beef welfare scheme and the national sheep welfare scheme. In addition to the national schemes, there are EU schemes supported through Ireland's CAP strategic plan. In 2025 there are two such schemes: the suckler carbon efficiency programme and the sheep improvement scheme.”
“I also wish to take this opportunity to outline the well-being services available to school staff that are supported by the Department, namely Oideas's well-being at work teacher well-being section, details of which can be found online, and the employee assistance service provided by Spectrum. This service provides a dedicated, confidential, 24-hour, seven-days-a-week service 365 days a year to promote staff well-being in the workplace. In addition, the Teaching Council provides a number of supports and resources to teachers and school leaders to support their well-being, including personal, professional and financial supports. Further information is available on the Teaching Council's website.”
“As previously stated, both the Department and NCSE officials are engaging directly with the school in relation to the recent concerns raised by the school. There has been an online meeting and a school visit is planned to involve the NCSE, NEPS, and the inspectorate. I cannot stress enough that any school that has a concern regarding the provision of supports available for students with special educational needs should contact the NCSE, or the Department, in the first instance. Guidance, advice and support will be provided to ensure that schools are supported and their concerns are addressed.”
“Budget 2026 has also delivered increased investment in teacher professional learning in special education, additional funding for assistive technologies and enhanced capitation, which will benefit, in particular, children in special schools. In real terms, the capitation increases which have been secured - the increase in the base rates, the enhanced rate for students aged 12 and over in special schools, and the application of a payment threshold for a minimum of 60 students in all schools - will make a substantial difference. We must also look to raise the bar and be more ambitious for our children and young people with special educational needs. Initiatives, including new post-primary curriculum pathways, transition supports and new further education and training programmes in development, will help with this.”
“This service will begin in special schools and gradually extend to special classes and mainstream settings, ensuring all children can access occupational therapy and speech and language therapy in a timely and effective way. The allocation of €16 million in budget 2026 will support the continued roll-out of this service, along with the necessary resources and supports. These therapeutic services will build the capacity of school communities to better support all children and provide one-to-one therapy interventions for those who need them most. This is a transformative initiative and one that will make a real difference in the lives of children and families.”
“The NCSE has recruited additional SENOs, team managers and advisors to support all schools, with special schools prioritised across the board for support. On the advisory side, the NCSE is developing a greater level of curriculum, behaviour and other training supports for schools. New leads for these important areas of work have been appointed and are available to work with schools to design and deliver new bespoke training and supports. Aligned to the issues which the school has raised, two other priorities in relation to special education refer to therapy supports and day-to-day funding to cover the increasing costs of running our special schools. Securing funding on both issues was a key focus in the recent budget discussions. The programme for Government 2025 commits to the introduction of an education therapy support service.”
“Department officials will ensure that the school’s management is informed of developments on an ongoing basis. It is important that schools raise concerns with the Department and the NCSE when they arise so that supports and-or advice and guidance can be provided when they are required. I know special schools face a number of additional challenges and the Department and the NCSE are available to provide support when required. Special schools now have both administrative principal and administrative deputy principal posts since September 2024. These additional posts are proving instrumental in assisting principals with leadership and management functions, with both the necessary support for learning and parental and community engagement.”
“I thank Deputy Gannon. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan. The Department of Education and Youth and the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, are aware of the recent issues raised by the school to which the Deputy refers. Both Department and NCSE officials are engaging with the school directly to address the concerns raised. A meeting was held on 7 November between the Department, the NCSE, the school management team and a representative from the school’s board of management. The school will continue to be prioritised for support by the NCSE, by the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, and by the Department’s inspectorate. The meeting last week also identified a number of areas which can be progressed in the short term.”
“I will raise the matter with the Minister, Deputy McEntee. As I have stated, my understanding is those applications from Pobalscoil Chloich Cheannfhaola for additional accommodation are being considered. The school will be contacted directly once a decision is made. I assure the Deputy that the Department of Education and Youth will advance this matter as quickly as possible and it is very conscious that where additional accommodation is required, a significant lead-in time is necessary for a variety of reasons.”
“I can confirm that the Department is in receipt of those three applications under the additional school accommodation scheme for capital works for the school. The school submitted an application for additional school accommodation in 2022 seeking a new-build and a purpose-built classroom for students with special educational needs. Two further applications were submitted in 2024 for special educational needs accommodation and prefab replacement. Modular accommodation for a classroom for students with special educational needs was approved in 2022 and has been delivered. I will raise the issue with the Minister for education as well.”
“The purpose of the Department of Education and Youth's additional school accommodation scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special educational needs is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year where the need cannot be met by the schools, existing accommodation or other schools in the area. To answer one of the Deputy's specific questions around the current position in relation to the emergency works applications for Pobalscoil Chloich Cheannfhaola, there are three emergency works applications at assessment stage - mechanical and electric works, roof works and life safety systems. Those applications from the school in question are being considered by Department of Education and Youth officials and the school authority will be notified of that decision directly.”
“The pace of delivery of additional residential development in school planning areas, along with updated enrolment data and demographic data, will be kept under review and will inform the timing of school requirements. The Department of Education and Youth will continue to liaise with local authorities in respect of the projected completion of planned residential developments. The Department of Education and Youth is examining demographic requirements across the country, including in the context of current and planned residential development activity, and any major capital works for Pobalscoil Chloich Cheannfhaola will be considered in this context.”
“The Department of Education and Youth is required to manage the allocated capital funding across all schools in the country, and the Department's approach is to maximise the use of existing capacity in schools and, in tandem with this, to manage the progression of the existing pipeline of projects within available budgets and in line with the Government's infrastructure guidelines. This allows the Department to keep a strong focus on the provision of additional capacity to cater for demographics, new housing developments and the roll-out of additional special classes for children with additional needs. This approach reflects the Department's fundamental objective of ensuring the availability of a school place for every child.”
“The priority for the Department of Education and Youth continues to be the provision of required additional school places to meet demographic requirements as well as to provide for children with special educational needs. In County Donegal alone, in the period 2020 to 2024, the Department invested €209.6 million on projects in construction, projects in the pipeline and completions. There were 64 projects completed in Donegal in the period 2020 to 2024. There are currently 17 projects in construction.”
“I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy Helen McEntee, who is unavailable. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. It gives me an opportunity to discuss the current position with Pobalscoil Chloich Cheannfhaola. The Deputy will be aware that the school is a DEIS post-primary school in Falcarragh, County Donegal, and the school had an enrolment in September 2024 of 417 pupils. The school is located in the Falcarragh school planning area and is the only secondary school in the area. The Department of Education and Youth is in receipt of three applications under the additional school accommodation scheme and three for the emergency works scheme from Pobalscoil Chloich Cheannfhaola. All applications from schools for major capital works are considered against a range of factors.”
“I will raise the issue as well with the Minister for Health. The Department of Health encourages regional teams to explore service models that reflect the realities in their communities. It is important that the regions learn from one another and that they share best practices. Such work can then inform broader strategies for improving care in remote areas right across the country. Looking ahead, this regional innovation can inform national strategy and strengthen service delivery everywhere across the country. Patients need health and social care services that are responsive, integrated and locally informed. The health regions are now empowered to lead on the planning and delivery of community-based care. My colleague, the Minister for Health, thanks the Deputy.”
“While these innovations are promising, the Department of Health recognises that workforce remains a key challenge, particularly in remote and hard-to-reach areas. Under the new HSE structures, the HSE south west is now able to recruit and retain staff across all service areas within their allocated budget.”
“This reconfiguration promotes joined-up care and accountability across primary, community and acute services. The Deputy raises the possibility of a study on the health service needs in the Iveragh and Dingle peninsulas. However, this is exactly the kind of insight that the new local teams are designed to address, with support from experts in the HSE centre. In the south west, the HSE is implementing innovative solutions to improve access in rural areas. Mobile clinics, telehealth services, and digital infrastructure are bringing care closer to people's homes. The telehealth roadmap and the digital for care 2030 framework are expanding remote consultations and health monitoring. These initiatives reduce travel time, improve access, and support continuity of care for rural patients and service users.”
“This focus on the broader determinants of health promotes integrated care across all levels of service. Integrated care means patients experience smoother transitions between services with better co-ordination and improved outcomes. To achieve this, the HSE is rolling out the next phase of its integrated service delivery, ISD, model. This is a central part of the health regions reform. Staff are now being reconfigured from care group teams to integrated teams which serve defined geographic areas. There are 20 integrated healthcare areas, IHAs, across the country, including one for the county of Kerry. Each IHA has a dedicated senior manager at national director level. The IHA manager is responsible for all health services delivered in their area.”
“Regions will adopt a population-based planning approach based on the specific needs of their areas. A population-based approach to service delivery emphasises prevention and early intervention. This complements existing programmes such as Healthy Ireland and Sláintecare Healthy Communities. The HSE’s population-based planning framework provides principles and key steps for the teams doing this work. For example, regions now have detailed publicly available population health profiles. These draw on census data and cover both the region as a whole and smaller community health areas of approximately 50,000 people. In addition to planning, we must ensure our workforce is equipped to meet these evolving needs. For example, the University of Galway has recently developed medical and pharmacy education with a specific focus on rural healthcare.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I am taking this question on behalf of my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. The Minister and the Government continue to make progress in improving access to meet the health needs of rural and remote communities. Sláintecare is the roadmap for reform of our healthcare system. A key milestone is the organisation of the HSE into six health regions. This took place last year and a phased transition to the new structures continues. Each region is now empowered to plan and deliver services tailored to the needs of its population. At the same time, we must maintain a national health service with consistent standards across all regions and communities. I will outline how the health regions are structured to deliver on these commitments.”
“We have a student sponsorship programme that was advertised by the HSE in April. That will support health and social care professional graduates to take up a job in CDNTs by providing financial sponsorship as part of their education costs. That will then be matched with a job within our CDNTs. That is just an example of the funding investment that is going in here, the recruitment and the awareness campaigns. I assure the Deputy everything that can be done is being done but if he has suggestions, my door is open in relation to this recruitment and retention drive.”
“On the Deputy's last point, that is exactly what we are doing. I am not disputing the fact we absolutely need to increase recruitment. There is a huge amount of work happening. In budget 2026 €8 million has been secured to allow for the funding of 150 staff for our CDNTs and the configuration of these posts is under review by the HSE. That expands on the funding of €2.85 million which was made available in 2025 for children’s services. Also, the programme for Government commits to a doubling of the number of college places for speech and language therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dieticians, psychologists and social workers. In June the Government approved an expansion in training places that will provide up to 361 additional student places by 2028, with the majority of those commencing this year.”
“This also includes developing the role of health and social care assistant and therapy assistant in 2024. There are a range of measures around recruitment here.”
“I thank the Deputy. He is not disputing the figures. These are the figures that were supplied to me and they include, as he has outlined as well, those who are on various types of leave. Across the board we are engaging in recruitment campaigns. Student placements within our CDNTs continue to be expanded because we want to encourage those on placements within in our teams, so they will come back to work in those settings. There are also a number of bursaries in place to encourage therapists and social care workers to work in our CDNTs. Clinical placements have happened in our CDNTs. They have increased by 55% in the 2024-2025 academic year compared with the preceding one. There are also recruitment drives and new roles and training pathways are being developed to expand the skills mix and strengthen the applicant pools.”
“Recruitment and retention of health and social care professionals is the most significant challenge and work is ongoing to increase those staffing levels also.”
“The approved number of whole-time equivalent posts for the Cork area at the end of September 2025.was 308.77. Of these posts, 234.73 were filled, with a further 32.42 post holders on various types of leave. The Cork area CDNTs are therefore staffed to 87% with a 13% vacancy rate. We acknowledge the current delays in accessing interventions. Work is ongoing by the HSE to maximise the capacity of the CDNTs via recruitment campaigns and other measures. The Government has made funding available in 2025 for children’s services to build on existing recruitment initiatives, focusing on various positions across CDNTs. A further €8 million has been secured in budget 2026 to allow for the recruitment of 150 staff to the CDNTs.”
“The Government and I recognise the importance of early intervention for children with disabilities and of ensuring they receive the right services at the right time. For children with complex needs, these services are delivered through the CDNTs across the country. In 2025, the CDNTs will provide supports and services to almost 45,000 children with complex needs. This is an increase of some 2,000 children in receipt of services at the end of December 2024. Despite increasing pressures on waiting lists across the country, the number of children on waiting lists has fallen from nearly 13,000 in January to 10,579 at the end of August, which is a reduction of 18%. The HSE has advised the Department that of the 14 CDNTs in HSE South West, a total of 11 provide services in Cork city and county.”
“Developed in partnership with disabled people, the strategy represents a significant step forward for the realisation of disability rights in Ireland. This Government has promised a step change in the delivery of disability services. This strategy and its built-in enforcement mechanisms form the blueprint for how we will get there, in tandem with the increased budget for specialist disability services in 2026. It is only by matching our words and promises with action that we can earn the trust of disabled people. That is why we recognise this strategy is the beginning of a journey together and is not the final destination.”
“The chair of the DPO group will participate in the delivery and monitoring committee. I thank colleagues across government for their commitment in developing this strategy, which we must view only as a beginning. It is an excellent starting point from which we must all continue to build to ensure the strategy’s full implementation and effectiveness. In fact, it is the cross-government framework of the strategy that provides the foundation upon which each of the five pillars is built, and it will therefore be cross-government collaboration that will be the prerequisite for the successful implementation of the strategy. The publication of this strategy for disabled people is an important achievement in the first year of this Government.”
“This group will be chaired by the Taoiseach, underscoring the top-level commitment to progressing delivery. The newly formed disability unit in the Department of the Taoiseach will play a key role in co-ordinating efforts across Departments that are leading on pillars and will support collaborative delivery. The pillar groupings will comprise a mix of Departments, agencies and stakeholders working together to identify and deliver on the best course of action to achieve the stated ambitions. The inclusion of disabled people themselves is an integral part of this new approach, with the setting-up of a disabled persons' organisation group where members will sit alongside Departments in pillar groupings, ensuring the representative voice of disabled people is directly integrated into decision-making.”
“To ensure the commitments outlined in the strategy are met, robust delivery and monitoring structures have been co-designed with stakeholders to ensure oversight and accountability. There is a strong focus on collaboration, and delivery will be underpinned by programme plans of action every two years. These programme plans will set out how the key priority actions under each commitment will be delivered, who will be responsible for their delivery and the timeframe for delivery. At the highest level, the Cabinet committee on disability will oversee the strategy, and all groups responsible for delivery will be accountable to that Cabinet committee. The delivery and monitoring committee is central to implementation and will meet twice a year. It is responsible for overseeing and directing the delivery of the strategy.”
“The primary focus of budget 2026 is on ensuring that the budget meets the real cost of the service levels agreed with the HSE, ensuring a stable base upon which to plan and expand services now and into the future. The aim is to provide stability for a sector which has seen significant cost increases in recent years on top of a rising demand for services. Significant funding is also provided to expand services in 2026 in residential care, respite, personal assistance and home support hours. The year 2026 will see continued strong recruitment of in the region of 945 staff, in line with trends in 2025. In addition, there will be investment in pay and pay-related costs, like those associated with recent pay deals, to retain the existing disability workforce and to attract new people into the sector.”
“It highlights how we must deliver supports to employers and disabled people to remove barriers to work, conduct walkability audits to make our towns and cities accessible and remove barriers that prevent disabled people from enjoying public spaces like parks, galleries and museums or from partaking in cultural events. It falls on each Department and each Minister to make sure that happens. No one Department or Minister is responsible; we all are. Key to delivering on the ambitions of this strategy is funding of €3.8 billion which has been allocated for specialist disability services in budget 2026. This represents an unprecedented €618 million, or an almost 20% year-on-year increase, and an overall increase since 2020 of €1.8 billion.”
“Disabled people are often prevented from enjoying the same opportunities as other citizens across a range of areas, including education, transport and participation in community life. This is a reality and a lived experience that we must acknowledge, but it is not a reality that I, as Minister of State with responsibility for disability, accept. We must change how we do things and give disabled people the same rights and opportunities as every other citizen. That is what the strategy is about and why it is so important. The strategy calls out where we need to do better in areas such as increasing the number of respite places, the provision of more day services, growing the number of Irish Sign Language interpreters and harnessing the power of assistive technology.”
“While the Government is investing in a massive house building programme, not enough homes are being provided for people with disabilities. We know that when appropriate housing is provided, in places like Glensheen Court in Ennis or at Killorglin in County Kerry, which I recently visited, it makes a massive difference to the lives of disabled people and their families, particularly elderly parents who know their child will have a lifelong home to call their own. We know that disabled people, for a variety of reasons, are less likely to have a job. Organisations like the Together Academy show that many people with a disability who want to work can, but only if the right supports are in place.”
“To achieve the ambition we so clearly set out, we will need stakeholders to hold us - the Government - to account, and tell us what is working well and what needs to be changed. There are many good things happening in the area of disability and incredible work being done in communities across Ireland, and we want to build on this. However, many disabled people rightly believe their needs are not being met and that we need new ways of doing things. For example, we continue to recruit therapists from a range of disciplines for our CDNTs and our special schools, but we know there are not enough. That is why we must also invest in third level places for therapists, in alternative therapies and in initiatives like autism assistance dogs and Variety Ireland's recycle mobility trikes, which are so important.”
“The scope of ambition of the strategy fulfils the Government’s commitment to progressively realising Ireland's implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in ways that will have the maximum benefit for disabled people. In the context of disability, human rights are grounded in the equality, dignity and choice of disabled people. This requires the structures and cultures we exist within to be conducive to the full, effective and inclusive participation of disabled people. Realising these rights requires an institutional, environmental and attitudinal alignment with the UNCRPD that comprehensively covers all areas of a person’s life.”
“Disabled people and their representative organisations have given generously of their time in the development of this document, and I give my heartfelt thanks to them. This strategy would not have been so ambitious without their input and determination. It is thanks to that input that this strategy reflects the lived experience of the very people it is designed to support. This experience is essential to ensure that everything that we aim to achieve in the months and years ahead makes a real difference to these individuals and their families. From these engagements, we learned that the key issues impacting the day-to-day lives of disabled people include access to a good education, access to good jobs, reliable and accessible public transport, and the necessary supports to live independently and healthily in their communities.”
“I thank all the Senators for their contributions to this discussion. As the Minister of State with responsibility for disabilities, I have witnessed at first hand the passion, dedication and commitment that disabled people bring to advocating for a more inclusive Ireland, and for continually highlighting the need to provide more and better services. The Government and I are very conscious of the struggles endured by disabled people and their families and loved ones. We are firmly of the belief that disabled people should be able to access the right services at the right time within their own communities, and they should be supported to live independent lives with the same access to opportunity as all other citizens. That is why the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030 is so important.”
“I am as anxious as the Senator about this and I know that its progression as quickly as possible is really important in his constituency. The HSE will look at engaging with the preferred provider on the milestones and a programme of delivery. I can come back to the Senator with further detail on that. I am in contact with the HSE. I am just looking for further information about the progress of this really important facility for the Senator's constituency.”
“This includes funding for a new cohort of 1,400 school leavers and in the order of 50 day service places for non-school leavers - for example, people who acquire a disability later in life. I again thank the Deputy for raising this matter.”
“Government investment has enabled the replacement of much-needed service locations such as Clogher House, Rathcorrick, and within the sector the New Directions policy has guided a major programme of change to reconfigure adult services, based on the core values of person-centredness, community inclusion, active citizenship and high-quality service provision. There are over 20,000 individuals with a disability in receipt of day services, together with a further 2,049 in rehabilitative training services. These services are provided at 1,091 locations around the country by 97 service providers. A total of €3.8 billion has been allocated for specialist disability services in budget 2026. That represents nearly a 20% increase year on year.”