We are calling on the Government to invest €2 million annually in Budget 2026 to fund a national, specialist brain injury case management service – a measure that would ensure survivors of brain injury are supported to navigate their recovery pathway from hospital to home, and into the community.

This modest investment would directly support Government commitments to expand person-centred rehabilitation, prevent inappropriate nursing home placements for younger people, and deliver on the recently launched National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025–2030, which recognises the State’s duty to provide joined-up, person-centred services in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

Each year, an estimated 19,000 people acquire a brain injury in Ireland, yet access to rehabilitation remains fragmented and inconsistent.

New evidence from Trinity College Dublin

A recently published study, commissioned by ABI Ireland and conducted by researchers at Trinity College Dublin, highlights the critical role played by specialist Brain Injury Case Managers in Ireland’s neuro-rehabilitation pathway.

The research found that ABI Case Managers act as advocates, navigators and coordinators, often described as the “glue” holding the rehabilitation journey together. They prevent unnecessary hospital and nursing home placements, reduce service duplication, and provide essential support to survivors and their families.

Key recommendations from the research include:

• Recognition of case management as a core element of rehabilitation.
• Equitable provision of ABI Case Managers nationwide, ending the current geographic “Eircode lottery.”
• Development of a national case management framework to standardise training and outcomes.

Currently, ABI Ireland is funded to provide a case management service in just 12 counties, leaving 14 counties without coverage.

A cost-effective solution

The requested €2m investment would fund 20 additional case managers, ensuring equitable nationwide access. Dr Karen Foley, Chief Executive of ABI Ireland, emphasised the transformative potential of this investment:

“This new research confirms what we see every day – Case Managers are essential to delivering integrated care and preventing inappropriate institutional placements. A €2m investment would deliver life-changing impact for thousands of families.”

Survivors’ stories

For brain injury survivors like Tony Baker, who sustained a stroke two years ago, the support of a specialist ABI Case Manager was life-changing:

Moving younger people with disabilities out of nursing homes

ABI Ireland’s Pre-Budget Submission also responds to the Ombudsman’s Wasted Lives report. An update to the report in 2024 found that more than 1,200 people under 65 remain inappropriately placed in nursing homes. Moreover, due to continuing under resourcing of alternative community-based services, an estimated 32 young survivors continue to be admitted monthly. ABI Ireland’s case management model has already enabled dozens of people to move into more appropriate, community-based supports. It would also play a crucial role in stemming the tide of placements in the first place.

“We are ready to work with Government and the HSE to make sure every person has the chance to rebuild a meaningful life close to home.”

The Pre-Budget Submission also responds to the findings of the Ombudsman’s 2021 ‘Wasted Lives’ report, which highlighted that some 1,300 people under the age of 65 were living inappropriately in nursing homes, due to a lack of alternative available supports and services in the community. Acquired Brain Injury Ireland’s case management model has already enabled dozens of people to transition to more appropriate, supported living environments and demonstrated the long-term benefits of community-based rehabilitation.