22. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of residential places provided at a location (details supplied) in each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47397/26]

The National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030 outlines this Governments commitment to advance the realisation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all disabled people and to promote respect for their inherent dignity. The ultimate goal is to ensure that disabled people are supported and empowered to live full lives of their own choosing.

Article 19 of the UNCRPD states that all individuals have the right to live independently and be included in the community, it is an equal right of all persons to live in the community and have choices equal to others. Article 19(c) states that all individuals must have the opportunity to choose their place of residence, where and with whom they live and are not obliged to live in a particular living arrangement such as a residential institution.

In line with the UNCRPD and the HSE’s Transforming Lives Policy, Disability Services are being reformed, developed and reconfigured to support and enable people with disabilities to live in their own homes and communities, through services, supports and environments designed and adapted as necessary to meet their needs.

The 2025 Programme for Government commits to continue the implementation of the Time to Move on from Congregated Settings Strategy. This strategy is a model of support where people with disabilities are supported to move from congregated settings, often large campus-based settings to smaller, community-based homes that better reflect their needs and preferences.

Time to Move on from Congregated Settings is progressing and continues to demonstrate very positive results for service users who have transitioned to living in homes in community settings. Additionally, HIQA continue to advise of their findings that residents have a much better quality of life in a community-based settings compared to a congregated setting and that generally a community-based setting means that residents live with a smaller number of people and have more control and choice over their daily routines.

Occupancy levels at St. Michael’s House Baldoyle residential service have decreased in recent years due to a combination of factors, including the ongoing implementation of the Time to Move On from Congregated Settings policy. As residents transition to community-based homes, the numbers of residents living on the campus reduce accordingly and the current occupancy therefore reflects planned service reconfiguration and the continued progression towards more modern, person-centred models of care, rather than any reduction in overall service provision.

The HSE advises the number of individuals supported in residential placements by St Michael’s House Baldoyle in each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026 are as follows:

Looking to the future, the Department is undertaking research and progressing policy development throughout 2026, with a view to developing a new policy framework for specialist residential services. The policy development process will consider a range of matters relevant to specialist residential services including models of service.