Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 October 2023
68. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the details of any engagement between her Department and disabled persons organisations and disability organisations in the development of the Green Paper on Disability Reform; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46452/23]
View answerThe Green Paper on Disability Reform is my Department's response to our commitment under the Roadmap for Social Inclusion to develop and consult on proposals to restructure long-term disability payments and to simplify the system.
The Green Paper is a consultation document we developed to start a structured discussion with disabled people and stakeholder groups on what the future of long-term disability payments could look like. It is not a final reform design. The proposals of the Green Paper are not final. They represent a starting point for a structured discussion on what the future of long-term disability payments could look like. They are intended to invite discussion, debate and suggestions.
Nobody will lose their payment or have their payment reduced. The objective is to increase people’s payments and provide more employment supports for those who can and want to work.
Based on a conservative estimate, the Green Paper proposals, if introduced, would increase spending by more than €130 million per year.
I am very mindful of our commitment in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to consult closely with and actively involve disabled people and their representative groups in changes to policies and services that will impact them.
My officials engaged with a number of disability stakeholders prior to the launch in early September on the accessibility of written materials for the launch. The Department incorporated stakeholders' feedback and published the Green Paper in plain English, easy-to-read, and screen reader friendly formats. It is also available on request in two Braille formats. We also took the recommendations of stakeholders on board regarding video submissions to allow for people whose first language is Irish Sign Language to submit their views to us, and their input regarding the importance of hybrid and regional events.
I launched the paper and a wide-scale public consultation on the Green Paper on 20th September when I met a number of stakeholder organisations as part of a briefing session. I also held a consultation event with stakeholders on 18th October. Further consultation events are taking place in Dublin Castle on 9th November, in Cork on 14th November and in Athlone on 23rd November. These are open to disability groups, Disabled Persons' Organisations and members of the public. Invitations will be shared with over 100 organisations. Registration for these events is already open to all via Eventbrite. Depending on demand, my officials are happy to add more locations and more consultation events to this event series.
In addition, individuals and groups are welcome to make a submissions until 15th December. They can do this in writing or by video in Irish Sign Language through our web page. My officials already received over 120 submissions from individuals which will feed into the final reform design.
I would further ask all of you to encourage those you represent to make their voices heard. It is essential that we hear from as many disabled people and representatives as possible. I can assure everyone that their voices will be heard. I engaged in similar consultations on pay-related benefit and pensions auto-enrolment which led to the revision of some key features. The same will apply here.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
