An internationally recognised right

People with intellectual disabilities have the right to live independently and be part of their community. This includes real choice about where you live and who you live with. This right is set out in Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 

In Ireland, many people still cannot use this right in practice. Housing and support pathways are often unclear. Support is often not available early enough. Too often, help only comes when a family is already in crisis. 

In its List of Issues Report on Ireland, the United Nations asked the State to show what progress it is making on independent living, including access to community-based housing and supports, reduced reliance on institutional responses, and better data to measure outcomes 

Read more about the general comment 5
Read more about article 19 of the UNCRPD

The situation in Ireland

Inclusion Ireland welcomes recent investment in disability services from Budget 2026. But funding on its own is not enough. What matters is whether people can get the right housing and support, at the right time, in their own community. 

The Government has already made clear commitments in the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025–2030 and the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022–2027. The priority now is delivery. Families need to see clear timelines, clear responsibilities, and clear results. For families, progress is not measured by budget announcements. It is measured by whether a planned housing and support package is in place before a crisis happens. At present, access still varies too much by county. 

There is also a major data gap. Housing and homelessness systems do not consistently collect or publish data broken down by specific disability groups. This makes it hard to measure need, track outcomes, and plan services fairly. Better data is essential for accountability. 

Delivery must be joined up across the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, the HSE, the Housing Agency, and local authorities. 

Read more about your housing rights in our resource section here.

 

Inclusion Ireland Members Experience

Unmet Needs and System Pressures 

Inclusion Ireland’s evidence shows a clear gap between what people want and what happens in their daily lives. In our 1,000 Voices survey, 53% of adults with intellectual disabilities told us that “getting a home of my own” is a top concern – but only 10% had both the wish and a plan to move out. 43% of families said they did not have the information they needed to plan for the future. 

Family campaign evidence also reflects the urgency facing older carers. Estimates indicate that around 1,500 adults with intellectual disabilities are living with family carers over 70, including 450 cared for by parents over 80. These figures show why planning ahead matters. Families should not have to wait for illness, burnout, or bereavement before support is put in place. 

National data also shows that the system is under real pressure. Health Research Board figures show high current demand for disability services, and rising need in the years ahead. This includes people who need residential support and many people who are living with older family members or supporters. 

This does not mean there is one single housing answer for everyone. Independent living can look different from person to person. For some people, it means living in their own home with support. For others, it means supported living, using personalised budgets, shared living, or residential support where this best matches the person’s wishes and needs. 

Inclusion Ireland’s Priority Actions 

  1. Set a National Future Planning Pathway Standard: Create a clear, rights-based planning pathway or a “one-stop-shop for housing and supported living” in every county for adults with intellectual disabilities and their families. This should include a maximum waiting time for first contact, accessible information, a named local coordinator, and regular reviews. For people using personalised budgets, create a solid support structure regionally to take administrative burden off individuals and families. 
  2. Publish a County-by-County Housing and Support Scorecard: Publish annual data in a single national format so progress can be tracked in every county. This should be published jointly by relevant departments, the HSE, the Housing Agency, and local authorities. At minimum, it should show identified needs, waiting times, planned transitions completed, emergency placements, and unmet needs carried into the next year. 
  3. Adopt a Community-First Delivery Rule: Show each year how new investment is expanding the full range of community-based housing and independent living options, including tenancy sustainment and person-centred outreach supports. Residential placements should remain available where appropriate but should not become the default because community options are missing. 
  4. Create Joint Accountability Across Housing, Health and Disability Systems: Set up a formal system for joint delivery across DCDE, DHLGH, the HSE, the Housing Agency, and local authorities. Name senior leads, review progress regularly, and require fixes within set deadlines when targets are missed. 
  5. Strengthen Disability-Disaggregated Housing Data and Reporting: Introduce a common data standard across housing and homelessness systems. The Department of Housing, the Housing Agency, local authorities, and relevant services should publish accessible, comparable data broken down by disability profile, support needs, and outcomes. This is essential to measure unmet need, track progress across groups, and hold delivery to account. 

 

The key point is choice. People with intellectual disabilities should get the type of home and support that is right for them. Services should be person-centred, support decision-making, and help people stay connected to their communities.