Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 November 2022
642. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection with regard to recipients of disability allowance who are currently taking part in community employment scheme, if those recipients will be eligible for the one-off payment for disability-related supports due in November 2022 due to their underpinning entitlement to disability allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54381/22]
View answerBudget 2023 has been designed to assist people with cost-of-living increases through a mix of lump sum payments, increases to weekly payment rates and an expansion of the Fuel Allowance scheme.
Community Employment is an active labour market programme designed to provide people with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis.
The minimum rate of payment on a Community Employment scheme is €230.50. In addition, a participant may be eligible for payments in respect of any qualified dependent adult and children.
Community Employment participants are not eligible for the €500 disability lump sum.
As part of the measures announced in Budget 2023, Community Employment participants will see an increase of €17 being applied, increasing the minimum payment from €230.50 to €247.50 per week from January 2023.
In addition, weekly payments for qualified child dependents will increase by €2 to €50 for children aged 12 or over and to €40 for children aged up to 12.
A number of once off bonus payments were also announced in Budget 2023, which will benefit eligible Community Employment participants, including a once off payment of €400 for those in receipt of the Fuel Allowance. These are in addition to the Autumn Cost of Living double week payment, the double payment of Child Benefit in November and the Christmas double payment in December 2022.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
