The Department of Social Protection has recently published a Green Paper on Reform of Disability Payments, and has commenced a public consultation process on the proposals contained in same. The Green Paper proposes the reform and restructuring of disability payments in response to key public policy commitments under the Roadmap for Social Inclusion, Pathways to Work and the Make Work Pay report.
My Department was not involved in the production of the Green Paper. However, prior to the launch of public consultation, both Minister O'Gorman and I, and our officials, were briefed on the content of the Green Paper.
Article 28 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), ratified by Ireland in 2018, places an imperative on the State to "ensure access by persons with disabilities, in particular women and girls with disabilities and older persons with disabilities, to social protection programmes and poverty reduction programmes".
It is in this context that I welcome the fact that the Department of Social Protection are undertaking reforms in this area. I know from engagement with disabled people and Disabled Persons' Organisations that there are aspects of our social protection system that can be changed to better serve the needs of disabled people.
