2685. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if there should be a more transparent and nationally consistent pathway into supported living, so that people with intellectual disabilities and their families can understand how decisions are made and how they can prepare for a planned transition. [55433/26]

The ambition of this Government is to bring about a step-change in services for people with a disability in Ireland and it is committed to the expansion and reform of disability services in order to maximise each individual’s independence and support them to live ordinary lives in ordinary places.

To support people with disabilities and their families, the HSE and contracted service providers endeavour to provide the correct supports for individuals when needed including day services, respite services, residential services, home support and personal assistance. Engagement is ongoing to improve the process for service users and families to access residential services.

HSE regions are working collaboratively with voluntary service providers in each Integrated Healthcare Area to identify individuals with urgent need to ensure plans are in place before a crisis arises. The HSE advise that it is important that the individual with disabilities or their advocate/carer make contact with their local HSE Disability Manager and local authority with a view towards discussing housing or social housing supports required.

The HSE’s 2026 National Service Plan includes details of a move towards a more planned and responsive system of service provision to meet residential needs for people with a disability, with the allocation of specific funding for the development of 72 new planned residential placements and strengthened operational processes being put in place to respond to the current high demand.

The Department of Children, Disability and Equality and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, continue to work in collaboration with a number of other Departments and agencies including the HSE and Local Authorities, to advance Pillar 3 of the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, which outlines a collective approach to provide a clear pathway for disabled people to access the supports they require to live independently and address societal barriers that impact on their daily lives.

The work undertaken in line with this strategy will support the move to a more planned approach to providing residential supports to people with disabilities.

Additionally, with funding allocated for 2026, the HSE has begun work to establish Residential Placement Planning & Review Teams in each Regional Health Area. The aim of these teams will be to improve forward planning of residential placements, and to ensure that individuals are appropriately assessed in relation to support needs prior to placement in residential services and reviewed in a timely manner for duration of the placement in respect of quality of care and support needs.

Furthermore, with additional funding secured in recent Budgets, new HSE housing coordinators will also be in place this year to coordinate and oversee the delivery of the new residential placements and plan for future placements, many of which will be delivered in Local Authority homes.

Availability of suitable housing is particularly important in the delivery of residential supports. The Department of Children, Disability and Equality and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage are working closely with the HSE and local authorities to respond to the need for additional capacity and improve forward planning, including more cost-effective approaches to meeting housing and support needs. This includes setting specific targets in Local Authority Housing Development Action Plans, which are currently under development. Engagement is also ongoing to improve the process for service users and families to access these residential services.

Throughout 2026, this Department is undertaking research and progressing policy development, with a view to developing a new policy framework for both specialist disability residential services and respite services.

The Department is also advancing the development of a policy framework on community-based supports, including home support and personal assistance.

These supports play a critical role in enabling disabled peoples’ independence and participation in their communities. The work will also consider the appropriate role of personalised budgets. Engagement with stakeholders, particularly those in receipt of these services, will be an important part of the reform programme underway.