Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 March 2025
592. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the Individualised Personal Budget Pilot Programme currently being trialed by the HSE; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9280/25]
View answer593. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons at the various stages of the Individualised Personal Budget Pilot Programme; the total amount of funding provided in each of the years since the commencement of the pilot; the breakdown of the costs to date of running the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9281/25]
View answer594. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the timeline for when the evaluation of the Individualized Personal Budget Pilot Programme will commence and report back on its outcomes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9282/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 592, 593 and 594 together.
The Personalised Budget Demonstrator Pilot was established to test the delivery of personalised budgets in an Irish context with a view to identifying the best approach for a wider roll-out of the model. Led by the National Disability Authority, the evaluation of the Pilot is due to commence shortly and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
As of 12 February 2025, there are 130 active participants in the pilot:
• 29 participants in Stage 1 - Information and Supports
• 38 participants in Stage 2 - Application/Support Plan Initial Development
• 13 participants in Stage 3 - Support and Planning: Completion of Support and Spending Plan
• 50 participants in Stage 4 - Implementation - Living Life Phase
The level of funding drawn down as personalised budgets by the Pilot participants is outlined in the table below.
|
Year |
New Participant Budget |
Total Personalised Budget Participant Expenditure |
|
2019 |
€299,000.00 |
€299,000.00 |
|
2020 |
€300,000.00 |
€599,000.00 |
|
2021 |
€912,786.30 |
€1,511,786.30 |
|
2022 |
€121,000.00 |
€1,632,786.30 |
|
2023 |
€860,812.70 |
€2,493,599.00 |
|
2024 |
€915,004.42 |
€3,408,603.42 |
While the Pilot operated on a cost-neutral basis, with no additional expenditure in terms of the actual personalised budgets, the administrative and staffing costs associated with the running of the Pilot each year are outlined in the table below.
|
Year |
Expenditure |
|
2020 |
€152,797.10 |
|
2021 |
€210,521.89 |
|
2022 |
€104,419.92 |
|
2023 |
€293,157.89 |
|
2024 |
€188,822.06 |
|
Total |
€949,718.86 |
