Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 October 2022
40. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on a key conclusion in a report (details supplied) that “measures to address the additional costs of disability should be based on a multi-faceted approach involving increased cash payments, enhanced access to service provision and specific targeted grant programmes”. [50328/22]
View answer72. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the key conclusion in a report (details supplied) 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”. [50327/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 72 together.
As stated in the 2021 Indecon Cost of Disability report, measures to address the additional costs of disability should be based on a multi-faceted approach involving increased cash payments, enhanced access to service provision and specific targeted grant programmes. The report also made clear that the cost of disability has implications for many areas of public policy, with additional costs of disability arising across a number of areas of expenditure including housing, equipment, aids and appliances, care and assistance services, mobility, transport, communications, medicines, and additional living expenses.
Furthermore, Indecon found that there is not a single typical cost of disability; rather, there is a spectrum from low to high additional costs of disability, depending on individual circumstances.
This is why the Government referred the report to the National Disability Inclusion Strategy Steering Group, which is chaired by the Minister of State with responsibility for Disability. This group comprises of relevant departments, agencies, a Disability Stakeholder Group and people with disabilities. The group is tasked with considering and monitoring recommended actions that are required by the various Government Departments on foot of the report.
A number of the measures I introduced as part of Budget 2023 in support of people with disabilities and carers, reflect some of the findings of the report and will go towards alleviating some of the costs experienced. These Budget measures are:
In October:
- A Cost of Living Double Payment will be paid to Social Protection recipients including all Pensioners, Carers and people on Disability Payments.
In November, there will be a:
- €400 Lump Sum Fuel Allowance Payment to all households receiving the Fuel Allowance.
- €200 Lump Sum Payment for pensioners and people with a disability receiving the Living Alone Allowance.
- €500 Cost of Living Lump Sum Payment to all families in receipt of the Working Family Payment.
- Double Payment of Child Benefit to support all families with children.
- €500 Cost of Living Payment for people receiving the Carer’s Support Grant.
- €500 Cost of Living Disability Support Grant will be paid to all people receiving a long-term Disability Payment.
In December:
- A Christmas Bonus Double Payment will be paid to 1.3 million Social Protection recipients including Pensioners, Carer’s and People with Disabilities.
In addition, in January 2023, the budgetary measures that will apply are:
- The Domiciliary Care Allowance will increase by €20.50 to €330 per month.
- A €12 increase in core payments with proportionate increases for qualified adults and for people who receive a reduced payment.
- Disablement Benefit will be disregarded in the means assessment for Fuel Allowance.
- Half-rate Carer’s Allowance will be disregarded in the means assessment for Fuel Allowance.
- The earnings disregard for both the Disability Allowance and Blind Pension will be increased by €25 per week, from €140 to €165.
- The general Means assessment threshold for Fuel Allowance will increase from €120 to €200, while entitlement to the allowance will be extended to people aged over 70, subject to a means threshold of €500 for a single person and €1,000 for a couple.
- Domiciliary Care Allowance will be available in respect of children with severe illness or disability who remain in hospital for up to six months after birth.
In particular the Indecon report identified the importance of supporting the employment of disabled people. To assist with this, in addition to the increases to the earnings disregards, Budget 2023 included a further two important measures:
- €1m in funding for enhancements to the Reasonable Accommodation Fund grants – which support the employment of disabled people in the private sector. Following a public consultation, conducted earlier this year, the department will bring forward reform proposals before the end of the year.
- Changes to the Jobsplus incentive scheme, to encourage private sector employers to employ disabled people. Employers who employ people in receipt of the disability allowance or Blind pension can now avail of the grants under the scheme.
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 commence in the coming weeks through a public consultation process.
In the Roadmap for Social Inclusion and Pathways to Work strategies, my Department has committed to developing and consulting on a strawman proposal for the restructuring of long-term disability payments. The main objectives are to simplify the system, remove anomalies, recognise the continuum of disabilities and to support employment. The Cost of Disability research report will feed into the preparation of these reform proposals. Work is underway by officials on the ‘strawman’ with a public consultation to commence in due course.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
