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Services for People with Disabilities.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 March 2004

Tuesday, 23 March 2004

Questions (625)

David Stanton

Question:

622 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the amount of money allocated by her Department in 2003 and 2004 to directly fund services for persons with disabilities and the amount of money allocated to enabling persons with disabilities to more easily access her Department’s services. [8650/04]

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Written answers

My Department administers a number of income support schemes that are specifically targeted at persons who are sick, disabled, or caring for a sick or disabled person. Total expenditure on these schemes in 2003 was €1,619.9 million and the total allocated in 2004 is €1,776.37 million. These sums represent 15.4% and 15.7% of my Department's total expenditure in 2003 and estimates expenditure for 2004, respectively. The schemes are as follows:

Exchequer Financed

2003

2004

€ million

€ million

Blind Pension

14.80

15.60

Carers Allowance

183.30

203.82

Disability Allowance

463.60

526.10

Social Insurance financed

Disability Benefit

433.50

466.70

Invalidity Pension

439.10

472.10

Occupational Injuries Benefits

78.70

83.55

Carers Benefit

6.90

8.50

Total

1,619.90

1,776.37

My Department also administers a broad range of income support schemes to which both disabled and able-bodied persons have access on an equal basis. Such schemes would include payments to the elderly, unemployed, those trying to access the labour market and those on low income.

Substantial progress has been made in recent years in improving and upgrading the general standard and access facilities of my Department's buildings. Access issues are addressed as part of a comprehensive, ongoing office maintenance and refurbishment programme undertaken in conjunction with the Office of Public Works who ensure compliance with regard to access. It is not possible to identify specific expenditure on works to improve access for people with disabilities within overall expenditure on maintenance and refurbishment. In 2003 my Department spent €2.6 million on maintenance work generally and in 2004 the budget is €2.7 million.

In addition, there is a specific ongoing programme of work being carried out on my Department's existing buildings to provide access for people with disabilities such as the construction of ramps and installation of lifts. The work is being undertaken by the OPW under the disabled access programme administered by it. Any new premises occupied by my Department, such as the recently opened new local office in Navan, include measures to facilitate access for the disabled.

My Department produces a comprehensive range of information booklets covering each social welfare payment, including those for disability payments. These are widely available from social welfare local offices, citizens' information centres and many local organisations or on my Department's LoCall leaflet request line 1890 20 23 25.

In 2003 my Department spent in the region of €250,000 on information booklets for people with disabilities and their carers. This includes the guide to social welfare services. In addition, booklets on the full range of services from disability benefit to entitlements under the back to work allowance were revised and re-issued. These publications will continue to be updated during 2004 and now include the new SW 110 that is a directory of services for the ill and incapacitated.

Under the scheme of grants for the development and promotion of information and welfare rights operated by my Department, once-off grants of €15,000, €25,000 and €10,000 were paid to Kerry Deaf Resources, Irish Sign Link and the Forum Partnership in Letterfrack, respectively, in 2003. To date in 2004 a grant of €18,000 has been made to the Carers' Association.

My Department spent €3,000 in 2003 towards the conversion of the website www.welfare.ie allowing better accessibility for people with disabilities.

Comhairle is the national information agency coming under the aegis of my Department. It supports the provision of independent information, advice and other supports to all citizens, including those with disabilities. Comhairle supports a network of 85 citizens' information centres whose role is to provide information to members of the public on all social services.

In 2003 a total of €1,210.964 was spent supporting or delivering specific activities and initiatives for marginalised groups, including people with disabilities. Within this figure regional Comhairle services spent €253,914 on information and advocacy projects.

Included in this figure are specific allocations for services for people with disabilities in 2003. They are as follows: €211,242 provided through the Comhairle information grants scheme for disability organisations; €43,000 support grant for the National Association for the Deaf; €25,000 to Irish Sign Link; €39,399 for entitlements for people with disabilities booklet; €45,608 for disability information awareness week; €201,153 for access improvements for citizens' information centres; €83,717 for the development of an assistive technology database; and €38,292 for the disability resource centre.

In 2004 a total of €1,200,110 has been allocated to support or deliver specific activities and initiatives for marginalised groups, including people with disabilities. Within this figure regional Comhairle services will spend €275,000 on information and advocacy projects.

Within this figure also specific allocations for services for people with disabilities in 2004 include: €48,610 support grant for the National Association for the Deaf; €35,000 to Irish Sign Link; €40,000 for entitlements for people with disabilities booklet; €150,000 for access improvements for citizens' information centres; €90,000 for the development of an assistive technology database; and €20,000 for the disability resource centre.

Question No. 623 answered with QuestionNo. 604.
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