Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 July 2019
2734. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of granting a cost of disability payment of €20 to recipients of social protection payments related to their disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32913/19]
View answerThe full year cost of a €20 weekly payment to recipients of invalidity pension, partial capacity benefit, disablement pension, blind pension, disability allowance and injury benefit is estimated to be €217.1 million.
The cost is based on the estimated number of recipients in 2019. It should be noted that this costing is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2020.
Following the announcement in Budget 2019, my Department commissioned research into the cost of disability in Ireland. It is envisaged that the research will provide quantitative estimates of the cost of disability using a number of approaches (‘mixed-method’) including data based on the direct experience of people with disabilities.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
