Home Care Coalition: Pre-Budget Submission 2026, Delivering on the right to care at home

The Home Care Coalition, comprising 23 charities and advocacy groups, urges the Irish Government to use Budget 2026 to deliver on commitments for a rights-based, adequately resourced Statutory Home Support Scheme. The coalition highlights a deepening crisis in workforce recruitment and retention, long waiting lists, and rising unmet need among older people and those with disabilities. Without urgent investment, people risk unnecessary hospitalisation or residential care, undermining the Sláintecare vision of community-based supports and breaching Ireland’s obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Currently, state funding prioritises residential care (€1.23bn) over home support (€838m). To rebalance this, the coalition calls for four measures in Budget 2026:

1. €266.5m increase in home support funding to meet demand, reduce waiting lists, and address regional disparities. Projections show demand will rise by 60% by 2040, with required hours increasing from 28.7m (2022) to up to 54.9m (2040).
2. €110m to address pay disparities for Section 39 organisations, stabilise workforce capacity, and cover compliance costs under new regulations.
3. Dedicated research funding to assess projected demand for home support among adults under 65 with disabilities, who risk being excluded in current policy planning.
4. A clear timeline for introducing the Statutory Home Support Scheme, including legislation, workforce planning, and sustainable funding.

The submission underscores the urgent need for equity, choice, and continuity of care. A case study illustrates how hospitalisation disrupts care provision, leaving workers underpaid and families distressed. The coalition stresses that only with decisive investment and policy action can Ireland guarantee dignity, independence, and genuine choice for people needing care at home.

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