Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 July 2022
150. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the key conclusion in the Cost of Disability in Ireland – Research Report, that the levels of disability payments and allowances should be changed to reflect the very different costs of disability by severity and type of disability. [34518/22]
View answerThe Indecon report identified that the additional costs of disability run across a number of areas of expenditure including: housing, equipment, aids and appliances, mobility, transport and communications, medicines, care and assistance services and additional living expenses. As such the ‘Cost of Disability’ is significantly wider than the income support system.
Indecon also found that there is not a single typical ‘cost of disability’; rather there is a spectrum from low additional costs to extremely high extra costs of disability, depending on the individual circumstances of the person concerned. As the findings of the research have implications for many areas of public policy, a whole-of-Government perspective is needed. As such the Government has referred the report on the Cost of Disability to the National Disability Inclusion Strategy Steering Group, which Is chaired by the Minister of State with responsibility for Disability and is comprised of relevant departments, agencies, the Disability Stakeholder Group (DSG6) and people with disabilities.
This Group has oversight of monitoring the key frameworks for policy and action to address the needs of persons with disabilities and it is in this regard that the Government saw it fitting that this group would be the appropriate monitoring vehicle. It will consider and monitor actions required by the various Government Departments on foot of this report on a bi-annual basis.
From the perspective of my Department, it is worth noting that a number of measures were introduced as part of Budget 2022 in relation to people with disabilities and their carers, which reflect some of the findings of the report. These included a combination of core weekly payment rate increases, increases in earnings disregards as well as supports for private sector employers.Under the Roadmap for Social Inclusion (2020-2025) and Pathways to Work (2021-2025) strategies, my Department has committed to developing and consulting on a ‘strawman’ proposal for the restructuring of long-term disability payments to simplify the system. This will also include a review of the current long-term disability payment schemes with a view to removing inconsistencies/anomalies and ensuring that they recognise the continuum of disabilities and support employment. This work is currently underway within my Department, with a public consultation process to commence in due course.Finally, another of the key conclusions of the report referenced the significant challenges faced in accessing employment and recommends that a high priority should be given to facilitating an increase in employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
I am committed to improving targeted employment supports where people are facing additional challenges accessing work. In this context my Department is currently carrying out a review of its Reasonable Accommodation Fund.
The public consultation phase of this review has been completed and officials are reviewing the submissions made, with a report to be finalised in Q3. A planned review of the departments Wage Subsidy Scheme, which provides financial incentives to encourage private sector employers to employ Jobseekers with disabilities, will also take place in 2022.I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
