Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 May 2023
596. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he received correspondence from the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media in relation to concerns raised by a campaign (details supplied); if he has responded on the matter; if so, the date on which he responded; and what the content of his response was. [25758/23]
View answerAs Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, I received a letter dated 23 September 2022 from the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media regarding concerns raised by the campaign in the details supplied .
Both Minister O’ Gorman and I met with the organisation leading the campaign in 2022, and referenced by the Deputy, to discuss their pre-budget submission. The challenges that this campaign has highlighted are complex and any solution necessarily requires the input and support of a number of Departments beyond my own. In response, there has been engagement at official level between relevant Departments, including my own, to develop an understanding of the issues involved.
It should be noted that the Department of Social Protection has responsibility for many of the issues raised in discussions to date. In that regard, the Deputy may wish to address more direct queries to my colleague the Minister for Social Protection. In that regard, the Deputy may wish to know that the Department of Social Protection is planning to advance a 'straw man' proposal for disability payments in furtherance of a commitment in the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020 – 2025. The exercise will examine disability payments in view of a potential restructuring, in order to simplify the current system and advance key Make Work Pay Report recommendations. I understand that plans are underway for a public consultation on the 'strawman', as work on the project progresses.
