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Domiciliary Care Allowance

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 March 2021

Wednesday, 3 March 2021

Questions (557)

Sorca Clarke

Question:

557. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the outcome of the domiciliary care allowance and disability survey carried out by her Department in March 2018; the number of participants who engaged; and if she will publish the summary findings. [11781/21]

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Written answers

The Make Work Pay report was published in April 2017 following a commitment in the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for people with disabilities 2015 -2024, and was undertaken in order to better identify how people with disabilities could be supported to achieve their employment ambitions.

The report made two recommendations (numbers 9 and 10) that addressed significant issues around the design of the main income supports schemes and the provision of employment services. These related to a proposed reconfiguration of Disability Allowance, from the current starting age of 16 to 18 years, and the introduction of an early engagement approach for young people with disabilities - to provide the necessary employment supports at the earliest opportunity, to assist young jobseekers to enter or return to employment.

To fulfil a commitment made at the time of the report, a wide-ranging national consultation exercise was conducted with persons with disabilities, their families and representative groups in relation to these recommendations.

Outcomes from stakeholder submissions, four regional consultation events (held in Dublin, Cork, Sligo and Limerick), and responses to two online questionnaires were compiled: there were some 3,300 responses to the survey on the recommendation relating to DA and a further 2,150 responses relating to the early engagement proposal.

These outcomes were then further considered by a key stakeholder focus group: this group comprises of persons with experience of disability issues, who also helped the Department with the design of the national consultation process.

A report on the outcome of the consultation exercise is being finalised and will be published simultaneously in the following formats:

- a Plain English format, with appendices detailing the full consultation processes undertaken.

- a stand-alone plain English version of the executive summary.

- a stand-alone easy to read version of the executive summary.

- ISL videos.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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