Down Syndrome Ireland Statement on Budget 2026

Plus key findings from the announcement.

We welcome commitments to expand respite, residential, and home support services, but these must come with transparent timelines and accountability for delivery. Families cannot continue to wait indefinitely for the supports they are entitled to. 

The additional investment in education – including 1,717 new SNAs, 860 special education teachers, and the introduction of the Education Therapy Service in Special Schools eventually 2028 into Mainstream, is an important step toward inclusion. However, children with Down syndrome still face unacceptable delays in accessing therapies essential to their development and participation in school life. The allocation of 150 additional staff for Children’s Disability Network Teams is simply not enough to address the current crisis in access to speech and language, occupational, and other therapies.  

We welcome the Government’s continued investment in housing, transport, and community services, but these must be designed and delivered with people with intellectual disabilities in mind. Independent living, inclusive education, and accessible transport are not a privilege, they are a right. 

For too long, people with Down syndrome and their families have been positioned at the side of the table when decisions about their lives are being made. Budget 2026 offers little progress, and it does not yet deliver the equality of opportunity and support that our community has a right to expect. 

Down Syndrome Ireland calls on Government to move beyond token gestures and build a system that fully respects the rights, voices, and lived experiences of people with Down syndrome. It is time to ensure that inclusion is not an aspiration – but a lived reality.”

Key Findings

With additional comments from Gina Grant, branch advocacy coordinator.

• A €10 weekly increase in all social protection payments, including those for people with disabilities, carers, pensioners, jobseekers, and lone parents. – A €10 increase does little to address the real cost of living our members face right now. 

• Carer’s Allowance income disregard increased from €625 to €1,000 for single carers and from €1,250 to €2,000 for couples. – while this is welcomed, we need to get to the point of no means test.  

• Close to 10,000 overnight and 15,000 day respite sessions to be provided in 2026. – time frames and implementations are needed.  

• Over 9,000 people will receive the residential care they need, including 250 new placements next year. 

• 1,400 young people finishing school will be supported with day service places, along with 50 additional places for older adults. – while this is welcomed, we need far more than 50 places nationally.  

• 1.7 million additional Home Support Hours allocated across community and health services. 

• Increased capitation rates for schools and a new DEIS Plan and DEIS Plus scheme to support children at risk of educational disadvantage. 

• €940 million allocated for public transport services to improve community access and connectivity.  

• €2.9 billion investment to deliver thousands of new social homes and expand the acquisitions programme, benefitting individuals with disabilities seeking independent living options. 

• Around 285,000 children are now set to benefit from the National Childcare Scheme — that’s an increase of about 35,000. – It’s not yet clear whether this will include any priority supports for nursing staff or additional staff for people with higher complex needs. 

• Over 105,000 children continue to benefit from the universal Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. 

• Domiciliary Care Allowance increases by €20 to €380 per month.

Education  

• The Department of Education and Youth and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) are setting up a new therapy service called the Education Therapy Service (ETS). The service will start in some special schools in the 2025/2026 school year and then into all special schools in the 2026/2027 school year. It is also planned that the service will be provided to mainstream schools in the 2028 school year. The ETS will support children to participate and engage in school life. 

•   €16 million to continue the roll out of school therapy within special schools and extend it into mainstream schools. This will help to ensure all children and young people have access to essential speech and language and occupational therapy in a timely manner. 
• Funding for 1,717 additional SNAs, bringing the total number of SNAs in schools to almost 24,900.  
• Funding for 860 additional teachers for special education working in special classes and special schools, as well as special education teachers in mainstream settings, to support children with special educational needs. In total, there will be over 46,500 dedicated staff working in schools in 2026 to support children with special educational needs. 
•   €69 million investment to strengthen the School Transport scheme. 

Therapy Support 

• Investment in children’s disability services will provide therapy services and other specialised supports, for approximately 45,000 children through local Children’s Disability Network Teams thanks to over 2,000 dedicated staff. Budget funding has been secured to recruit 150 additional staff for Children’s Disability Network Teams. – 150 additional staff is not sufficient for the current crisis.  

• Funding of €20m is also being provided for the continued support of the Assessment of Need Targeted Waitlist Initiative through the provision of up to 6,500 clinical assessments. 

If you have queries, comments or need support, please contact Gina Grant, branch advocacy co-ordinator