2838. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the plan, timeline and cost to increase support for people with disabilities to access supported independent living, the provision of supports to live at home, in order to phase out long-term care in a nursing home for younger people with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59955/26]

This Government and the HSE acknowledge that a nursing home can be an appropriate care option where the person concerned has a clinically assessed complex medical and social care requirement that cannot be supported in the person’s home.

However, as identified in the Ombudsman Report “Wasted Lives: Time for a better future for younger people in Nursing Homes,” for the majority of people under the age of 65 nursing homes are not an appropriate placement and alternative, more sustainable supported living solutions are needed to give them greater independence and choice in their daily lives.

In response to the Ombudsman’s Wasted Lives report, the HSE is co-ordinating a programme of work at both the Health Regions (RHA) and at national levels, to progressively address the Wasted Lives Report review and implement the report’s recommendations for which the HSE has accountability.

At national level, there is an U65 Programme Office and the Implementation Project Team. The implementation programme has been divided into 5 work streams as follows:

1. Quality of life and model of service development – “A Place to Call Home”

2. Funding and personal finances

3. Services access and navigation

4. Informed consent policy and human rights

5. Nursing Home U65 survey

At local Health Regions/CHOs, there is an identified U65 lead per CHO, who is responsible for progressing U65s transitions and working with individual disability case managers.

Preventing entry to nursing home facilities requires a model of service that supports the changing needs of individuals and allows them to continue to live a life of their choosing in the community. Therefore, the HSE along with Voluntary and Private organisations are providing a variety of supports to people with disabilities including personal assistants, peer supports, respite, day services, home supports, advocacy and digital and assistive technology. These supports are governed by a diverse range of health and social care policies and ongoing programmes and aim to enable young persons from entering nursing homes where possible.

The main source of admissions of people under the age of under 65 into nursing homes is discharges from acute hospital settings where the individual has a complex medical need such as an acquired brain injury. HSE data shows the impact that wider policies have on the numbers of U65s in Nursing Homes, with particular focus on the Acute Hospital winter discharge programme and its sustained focus on increased discharge rates and turnaround times from Acute hospitals. Due to the work of the Under 65s Integrated Steering Committee and project team, there is a greater awareness across HSE Acutes, Older Persons and Disability services of the need to prevent people under the age of 65 from being placed in Nursing Homes.

Budget 2026 saw an overall 20% increase, a total of €3.9billion, in funding for Disability services. Almost 60% (€2.2bn) of this funding will go to disability residential services.

€65m has been allocated to Disability Residential Services in 2026 for new developments, which includes €40m of funding that will provide in the region of 199 new residential responses. This includes 152 newly created residential placements consisting of 72 planned placements and 80 (Priority 1) new placements to meet urgent need, as outlined in the HSE’s National Service Plan for 2026. Funding will also support further residential responses including supporting new residents to move into existing places which have become vacant, with enhancements and to support the transition of 58 people from congregated settings to more appropriate homes in the community.

In addition to residential services, additional funding has been provided to expand the provision of other measures available to support people with disabilities and their families and carers, including day services, respite services, home support and personal assistance. These specialist disability services support people to live in their community including in Local Authority homes.

The Programme for Government commits to continue to work to end the practice of placing young people with disabilities in nursing homes. In recognition of this commitment, Budget 2026 provided a record €10m to the under 65s (U65) work programme. €8m of this funding will enable a further 45 people who are inappropriately placed in a nursing home to transition to more appropriate living arrangements.

The remaining €2m will provide Enhanced Quality of Life Supports (EQLS) to those who remain in nursing home settings. In addition, the U65 programme has also been awarded Dormant Account Funding for 2026 of €736k, which will be directed towards once-off funding for EQLS.

In relation to future funding requirements, the Department will engage closely with the HSE on these matters as part of the Estimates process, which takes place annually. Engagement will take place between the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation and the Health Service Executive (HSE) later this year in respect of funding for 2027.