Talks between Minister for Disability Norma Foley and service providers on problems faced by the sector have been described as “constructive”.
The Department of Disability said that the meeting on Tuesday formed part of ongoing engagement. Organisations providing specialist disability services have been concerned for some time about funding for the sector.
The Irish Times reported in May that more than two dozen bodies providing services to tens of thousands of people warned there was “an extreme risk” to their ability to expand services or, in many cases, sustain existing operations.
In an unprecedented joint letter to Health Service Executive chief Bernard Gloster, the chairmen/women of 26 voluntary disability service providers – voluntary public service organisations and voluntary grant-aided bodies – said their ability to deliver existing services and meet the needs in their communities was under threat.
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The letter said many organisations were facing such acute financial situations that their boards were “concerned they may be in breach of the reckless trading provisions of the Companies Act”.
The department said on Tuesday that Ms Foley, in conjunction with the HSE, had “had a constructive meeting with disability services organisations ... and further engagements will be arranged over the coming weeks/months.”
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said the issue of disability is a top priority for his Government. However, while the amount of money allocated for specialist disability services has grown by €1.6 billion since 2020, the Government has recognised that some providers are experiencing “funding, operational and governance challenges”.
The letter sent to the HSE in May said that boards of public service disability organisations were “having to operate in crisis mode”.
