More than €8 million in funding has been approved for use on disability projects more than a year after the fund was first launched in Co Donegal.
The Children’s Disability Service grant was launched in October 2023 and again in June 2024, and was to be used to fund projects helping children with special needs.
Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty said he was told by a Government department that no funding had been allocated to the grant – and as a result, no projects have been funded.
Speaking in the Dáil last Thursday, the Donegal TD said his constituent Denise McGahern, who was at the launch of the grant with her son, feels betrayed.
Her nine-year-old son Jack Donaghey has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair.
Mr Doherty said: “She’s devastated. She feels betrayed. She feels that her son Jack was used by the Government in a prop and a photo opportunity during an election campaign.”
Tánaiste Simon Harris said in response that it was “extraordinarily frustrating” that the funds had not yet been provided.
“The scheme was announced, was announced in good faith. People applied, and the funding now needs to be provided, and the HSE has a level of funding that is almost eye-watering.
“The idea that that eight million euro that could make a fundamental difference to the lives of so many children, including in their own county, and hasn’t yet been provided is extraordinarily frustrating.”
A spokesman for Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley said on Monday that she had “secured sanction” for €8 million to fund the projects that met the criteria.
He said: “In October 2023, the HSE launched an open call for applications for the Children’s Disability Service Grant Fund.
“The Children’s Disability Service Grant Fund is an initiative detailed under the Road-map for Service Improvement 2023-2026, Disability Services for Children and Young People.
“Following an evaluation process, the HSE confirmed that projects with a total cost of circa eight million euro between 2025 and 2027 met the criteria under the Children’s Disability Services Grant Fund.
“There is a target date for commencing the projects mid-year and many of them are due to be completed to the end of 2027.
“The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has secured sanction for the €8 million Grant Fund to cover the costs in full.
“The HSE will engage with successful applicants around the drawdown of funding and the financial and governance requirements in relation to the delivery of projects.”
