Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 November 2022
133. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who were in receipt of disability allowance and are currently on training courses and who are now going to be excluded from the €500 disability support grant payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56915/22]
View answerMy Department has, as you will be aware, acted very quickly to deliver the Disability Support Grant and other budget measures within an exceptionally short timeframe. Wherever possible, budget measures that are usually implemented in the January to March period of the year following a budget announcement, have been brought forward and implemented within a period of weeks. While this early issue of payments was very challenging it was possible to achieve for people paid directly off the Department’s own payment systems.
However, when undertaking training courses, recipients of Disability Allowance move off the Department’s payment systems and transfer to a Department of Further, Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science funded Training Allowance. As a consequence, it was not possible to process early payment of the Disability Support Grant to these recipients in the same manner as was implemented in respect of people paid directly through the Department’s own systems.
I can confirm, however, that it is absolutely the intention that people on training courses, having previously been in receipt of a Disability Allowance payment, will receive the €500 Disability Support Grant.
My officials are examining this issue in conjunction with their colleagues in the Department of Further, Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to ensure the payment is made to those who are on Training courses as soon as possible.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
