123. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether Budget 2027 will include a multi-annual funding framework for disability services, covering both current and capital expenditure; whether such a framework will set out planned investment in residential services, respite, home support, personal assistance, day services and children’s disability services over a defined number of years; and her views on whether multi-annual funding is necessary to allow the HSE and funded service providers to plan workforce, capacity and infrastructure on a sustainable basis. [65597/26]

In 2026, the Department is providing €3.9 billion for HSE specialist disability services, an increase of €628m, or almost 20% over 2025. This is the largest ever increase in funding for disability services.

This record funding reflects Government recognition of the financial pressures facing disability service providers, workforce challenges and increasing demand for disability services. It follows significant year on year increases resulting in an overall increase of €1.85bn or 91%, since 2020.

This Government set out in our Programme for Government a commitment to consider the development of a multi-annual approach for disability services following a review of the recent two-year healthcare funding agreement. The Government remains committed to that objective. Work is underway on a multi-annual budgeting framework, but it will not be in place for Budget 2027.

It is important to note that the current annual funding framework does not prevent longer-term planning. Disability services are planned and delivered within multi-year strategic and workforce planning frameworks, and the HSE itself operates on the basis of a multi-year (3 year) corporate planning cycle.

At the same time, I recognise that greater funding certainty can support service providers in planning and delivering services into the future.

Any future move towards multi-annual funding arrangements for current expenditure disability services would need to be considered in the context of the wider public expenditure framework and relevant Government decisions.

In line with commitments contained in the programme for Government and the National Human Rights Strategy, the Department is now developing a new vision and reform strategy for disability services out to 2030. In line with commitments in the Strategy, it will provide a long-term framework to ensure that services are progressively more person-led and sustainable.

2026 is the first of a five-year capital investment plan out to 2030, supported by €278 million in funding which I secured through the National Development Plan. The HSE are currently working on drafting a disability specific multi-annual capital plan which will strategically plan for the current and future disability capital needs across the 4 pillars: Specialist Residential Care, Residential Respite, Day Services and Assessment and Multi-disciplinary Teams, as well as Infrastructure Risks and Climate Action out to 2030.

Earlier this year I announced €43 million in capital investment for much needed disability services in 2026, the first year of the National Development Plan. This represents a substantial increase in investment when compared with capital expenditure of previous years; €27 million in 2025, €23million in 2024, €15million in 2023 and €5.2million in 2022. The growth over the last number of years, and the capital secured under the National Development Plan demonstrates the Government’s firm commitment to support and expand disability services.

It is important to note that while the strategy, policy direction and overall allocation for the disability sector is set at Ministerial level, funding allocations and management of individual capital projects is a matter for the HSE, as the funding and governance authority, on behalf of the State.