Minister Buttimer publishes the Dormant Accounts
Action Plan 2026
- €47 million in funding to help address disadvantage
Jerry Buttimer, TD, Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, today (Monday, 24 November 2025) announced funding of just under €47 million from the Dormant Accounts Fund to address disadvantage right across the country. He launched the 2026 Dormant Accounts Action Plan in Blackrock, Co. Cork at the “Try Table Tennis Programme” at Aston School, who have received Dormant Accounts Fund support.
Money in the Dormant Accounts Fund can be used to fund measures that address economic, social, or educational disadvantage and to support people with a disability. The 2026 Action Plan allocates funding of €46.97 million to 56 measures to be delivered across 11 Government Departments.
Launching the Action Plan today, Minister Buttimer said:
“I am very pleased to officially launch the Dormant Accounts Action Plan 2026 which provides funding of €46.97 million to help address disadvantage right across Ireland. The 56 measures approved for funding in 2026 will be implemented across Government and will help to address a diverse range of issues such as homelessness, disability, youth disadvantage, migrant integration and sports measures for disadvantaged communities.”
The Minister continued:
“In these challenging times, Dormant Accounts funding makes a real difference to individuals and communities right across the country. The 2026 Action Plan being published today will help ensure that we can continue to support the most vulnerable in society. I am particularly pleased to see continued support for people with disabilities across many department measures.
“I am particularly pleased to have implemented a stronger emphasis on disability in this year’s distribution of Dormant Accounts funding. This is in line with the Programme for Government’s Commitment to prioritise funding and opportunity for people with a disability.”
Minister Dara Calleary TD noted:
“I welcome the 2026 Dormant Accounts Action Plan which will see €46.97 million in funding targeted at addressing disadvantage across the country. The Dormant Accounts Fund has continually aided the most vulnerable. Within my own Department, it will allow continued funding of €2.1 million for the Senior Alerts Scheme, €4 million for Rethink Ireland and €1.5 million to support implementation of the National Philanthropy Policy. It will also see support for Social Enterprise measures of €2 million and for the many individual groups under the Targeted Social Inclusion Measure receiving €780k in total. These interventions, and similar measures across Government, make a real difference in our society.”