Seán Canney
Question:210. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is considering changing disability allowance to a three-tier system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42033/23]
View answerThursday, 28 September 2023
Questions (210)
Written answers
Last week, I published a Green Paper on Disability Reform and launched the associated public consultation.
The Green Paper was developed as a response to commitments under the Roadmap for Social Inclusion, the Pathways to Work Strategy, and the Make Work Pay Report Strategy to consult on reforms to disability payments and take account of anomalies within the current system.
I would like to emphasise that this Green Paper is not a final design and no changes will be made to the current payments at this time. The Green Paper is a proposal on what the future of long-term disability payments could look like. It doesn’t claim to be the best way or the only way to change the structure of our payments. The proposals in the Green Paper represent a starting point for a structured discussion. I launched a public consultation on 20 September that will last until 15 December 2023.
The main proposal of the Green Paper is to move to a three-tiered Personal Support Payment, rather than the one-size-fits-all payments we currently have. This would amalgamate the current system of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, and Blind Pension into one payment with a contributory and non-contributory stream.
Another important element of the Green Paper is that where people have a life-long disability, they would not be subject to ongoing medical reviews by the Department of Social Protection as is currently the case.
I want to assure the Deputy that the intention is to try and simplify and make the social welfare system work better for people with disabilities. There are no proposals to reduce anybody's payment. Rather the proposals in the green paper are about providing additional support to those who need it most.
I have already met with the various Disability Organisations to brief them on the Green Paper and I want to work with them to ensure we get a strong response to this public consultation.
I would like to encourage all those with an interest to express their views as part of the public consultation process.
Full details on how to make a submission as part of the public consultation are available at: www.gov.ie/en/consultation/3b001-green-paper-on-disability-reform-a-public-consultation-to-reform-disability-payments-in-ireland/
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.