Ciara Reilly: Budget makes private care slightly more affordable, temporarily

'We have zero expectation of receiving any therapeutic help from the public system, now or in the future. Budget 2025 did nothing to change that stark reality'

Occupational therapy alone for my daughter Doireann costs €95 a week — that’s €5,000 a year, writes Ciara Reilly.

We’re a working family with two good salaries, so Budget 2025 should be a win for us. 

However, as parents of a disabled child, it doesn’t feel like much help at all.