Analysing Budget 2026: Commitments Made, But Awaiting Delivery

Budget 2026 has delivered some long-awaited investment in disability services, including €619 million in additional funding and €3 million for community neuro-rehabilitation teams. But for the 18,000 people living with Parkinson’s in Ireland (and the many more who will be diagnosed in the coming years), the budget falls short of meeting the scale and urgency of need. 

Parkinson’s Disease is the fastest-growing neurological condition in Ireland, and second only in prevalence to Alzheimer’s. The number of people affected is expected to double by 2050, placing enormous pressure on our health system. Yet, despite this reality, the services that support people with Parkinson’s remain underfunded, fragmented, and inaccessible to many. 

Mental Health and Counselling 

A recent survey by the Neurological Alliance of Ireland revealed that 75% of people with Parkinson’s report that the condition has an impact on their mental health, and 72% say the care they receive from mental health services fails to meet their needs. These figures reflect what we at Parkinson’s Ireland hear daily. 

In 2024, 21% of calls to our freephone helpline were psychological in nature, and a further 9% related to cognitive issues. Despite this clear and growing need, there is no dedicated counselling service for people with Parkinson’s in Ireland. We have submitted a business plan seeking funding to establish this service and have been in constant contact with both the government and the HSE advocating for this funding. We eagerly await the outcome. 

Neurology and Nursing Services 

Ireland continues to fall far behind international standards in access to Parkinson’s nurse specialists. The 2024 UCC Audit Report on Movement Disorder Services in the Republic of Ireland found that only 57% of patients had access to a Parkinson’s Nurse Specialist, compared to 95% in the UK. NICE guidelines recommend at least 60 Parkinson’s Nurse Specialist nurses nationally. Ireland currently has just 21, and Parkinson’s Ireland provide three of these. 

Parkinson’s Ireland has submitted proposals to sustain our Parkinson’s Nurse Specialist service in Cork. We await news following Budget 2026 and continue to advocate for urgent investment in these essential supports.  

The HSE announced funding of €2 million in last year’s budget to establish regional neurology services in 5 hospitals: Bantry, Letterkenny, Mayo, Portlaoise, and Wexford. This funding was in respect of 30 posts. The vast majority of this recruitment has yet to take place and as a result most of the promised investment has yet to be utilised. We also call on the government and the HSE to deliver on this commitment as soon as possible. According to the Royal College of Physicians’ report Local Adult Neurology Services for the Next Decade (2011), the recommended benchmark is one consultant neurologist per 70,000 people. Ireland currently falls far short of this standard. Delivering these five regional services would be a meaningful step toward increasing capacity and addressing the chronic delays in diagnosis and treatment nationwide. 

Personal Assistance Hours 

While Budget 2026 includes increased funding for Personal Assistance (PA) hours, there is no clear commitment to expanding eligibility or addressing unmet demand. For people with Parkinson’s, PA services are vital in maintaining independence and avoiding unnecessary hospitalisation. Funding must be matched with access. 

Parkinson’s Ireland has recently published a nationwide list of HSE and charity-run services that offer PA Hours. You can find this resource on our website at this link.  

Community Neuro-Rehabilitation Teams 

The €3 million investment in community neuro-rehabilitation teams is a step forward, but it does not go far enough. Many regions still lack access to these multidisciplinary teams, which provide essential short-term rehabilitation. The pace at which recruitment is undertaken must match the urgency of need. With a lack of action, we run the risk that this funding will remain largely unspent over the next 12 months, following a pattern of delay that undermines progress that we see time and time again. Parkinson’s Ireland supports the Neurological Alliance of Ireland’s call for nationwide coverage, and we urge the HSE to ensure equitable rollout and staffing. 

Removal of Disability Benefits and Once-Off Payments 

According to an analysis of Budget 2026 by the Disability Federation of Ireland, for the last three budgets, the Government provided these once-off cost of disability supports. In Budget 2026, these have been removed in their entirety, leaving people living with a disability are worse off by on average €1,264 a year. This is due to several factors, including the removal of the Disability Support Grant worth €400, the Living Alone Allowance of €200, the October double payment of €254, the €300 Fuel Allowance, and the €250 Electricity Credits.  

The €10 increase to the Disability Allowance, which is applied uniformly across social welfare payments, is a response to inflation and the Government cannot present it as a targeted measure to address the real and ongoing cost of living crisis faced by those living with a disability.  

Our Calls 

Parkinson’s Ireland has immediate priorities to set up a dedicated counselling service, to sustain our Cork nurse service. These are not optional extras, but rather essential services that respond directly to the needs of people living with Parkinson’s. We now call on Minsters Norma Foley and Hildegarde Naughton that funding is allocated in respect of these projects as a matter of priority. 

Speaking after Budget 2026, Parkinson’s Ireland CEO, Shane O’Brien stated; 

“I welcome the increase of government funding for disability to €3.8 billion, however it is important that funding becomes more targeted and that the increase in essential frontline services is prioritised. I eagerly await clarity on the allocation of funding by the HSE and call for a targeted approach that supports people living with Parkinson’s Disease and their care partners; the urgency and specificity of the response cannot be understated.” 

Parkinson’s Ireland are calling for: 

• Approval of funding for our counselling service. 

• Funding for the Cork nurse service to ensure continuity of care. 

• Expansion of access to Parkinson’s Nurse Specialists in line with NICE standards. 

• Delivering on commitments to establish regional neurology services. 

• Equitable access to community neuro-rehabilitation teams. 

• Full abolition of the means test for carers as outlined in the Programme for Government. 

• Increase in Carers Support Grant and in the income eligibility thresholds. 

• Introduction of a permanent Cost of Disability payment